UC-NRLF 


17B    077 


4k 

*     '., 


THE  OLEATES, 


AN  INVESTIGATION  INTO  THEIR  NATURE  AND  ACTION. 


BY 

JOHN  V.  SHOEMAKER,  A.M.,  M.D. 

Lecturer  on  Dermatology  at  the  Jefferson  Medical  College; 
Physician  to  the  Philadelphia  Hospital  for  Skin  Diseases;  Member 
of  the  Pennsylvania  State  Medical  Society;  the  Minnesota  State 
Medical  Society ;  the  American  Medical  Association ;  the  American 
Academy  of  Medicine;  the  British  Medical  Association;  Fellow 
of  the  Medical  Society  of  London,  etc.  etc.  etc. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

F.   A.   DAVIS,   ATT'Y, 

1217  FILBERT  ST. 

1885. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1885,  by 

F.  A.  DAVIS,  ATT'Y, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 
All  rights  reserved. 


TO   THE   MANY 

awl 

WHO,    FOIt    THE    PAST    TEN    YEARS,    HAVE    ATTENDED    MY     CLINICS 
AT   THE 

PHILADELPHIA  HOSPITAL  FOR  SKIN  DISEASES, 

THIS  LITTLE  VOLUME   IS   RESPECTFULLY 

DEDICATED 

BY 

THE   AUTHOR. 


(iii) 

iviS51801 


PREFACE. 


A  PERIOD  of  ten  years  has  elapsed  since 
I  became  interested  in  the  production  of 
the  different  oleates  and  their  introduction 
to  the  medical  profession  as  useful  remedies 
for  the  treatment  of  diseases  of  the  skin,  etc. 
From  that  time  I  constantly  endeavored  by 
investigation  and  experiment  to  test  their 
value,  and  it  is  pleasant  to  say  that  my 
efforts  have  proved  successful,  as  evinced 
both  in  my  hospital  and  private  practice, 
and  in  the  adoption  of  the  oleates  by  prac- 
titioners in  this  country  and  in  Europe. 
The  results  of  my  labors  were  publicly 
made  known  through  papers  read  before 
the  Philadelphia  County  Medical  Society, 
the  Medical  Society  of  the  State  of  Penn- 
sylvania, the  American  Medical  Associa- 
tion, the  British  Medical  Association, 
and  the  International  Medical  Congress, 

(v) 


VI  PKEFACE. 

held  at  Copenhagen.  This  small  volume  is 
not  only  a  resume  of  all  that  I  have  here- 
tofore written  concerning  the  oleates  and 
their  uses,  but  enables  me  to  lay  before 
my  readers  in  a  permanent  form  all  my 
latest  experience.  It  also  contains  much 
new  matter  that  I  think  will  prove  interest- 
ing and  of  value  that  I  have  not  heretofore 
published. 

It  is  with  pleasure  that  I  acknowledge 
the  efficient  aid  and  co-operation  of  my 
friend,  Dr.  L.  Wolff,  well  known  in  con- 
nection with  the  chemistry  of  this  subject, 
who,  with  untiring  assiduity,  rendered  me 
every  assistance  in  his  power  to  further  my 
efforts  towards  a  satisfactory  conclusion. 
Likewise  to  my  friend,  Mr.  J.  Lesley  Ander- 
son, who  carefully  examined  and  corrected 
the  proof,  my  acknowledgment  is  due. 

j.  y.  s. 

PHILADELPHIA,  1031  Walnut  Street, 
April,  1885. 


CONTENTS. 


i. 

PAGE 

HISTORY  AND  ORIGIN  1 


II. 

PROCESS  OP  MANUFACTURE  .        .        15 

III. 

PHYSIOLOGICAL  ACTION  OF  THE  OLEATES       40 

IV. 

THERAPEUTIC  EFFECT  OF  THE  OLEATES         56 

(vii) 


THE  OLEATES. 


AN  INVESTIGATION  INTO  THEIR 
NATURE  AND  ACTION. 


I. 

HISTORY  AND   ORIGIN. 

THE  use  of  fatty  vehicles  in  apply- 
ing medicinal  substances  to  the  cuta- 
neous covering  of  the  body,  for  the 
purpose  of  producing  either  a  local 
effect  or  with  a  view  of  making  a  con- 
stitutional impression,  is  probably  as 
old  as  medicine  itself,  and  there  is 
scarcely  a  doubt  that  inunctions  per- 
formed a  most  important  part  in  the 
early  history  of  medicine.  The  fatty 
bodies  then  used  were  oils  expressed 
from  the  seeds  and  fruits  of  plants,  as 

well  as  fats  of  both  domestic  and  wild 
1 


2  THE   OLEATES, 

animals,  and  to  each  class  different 
actions  were  assigned.  It  is  not  be- 
yond the  recollection  of  the  older 
members  of  the  profession,  when  dog 
fat,  snake  and  bear  oils,  though  not 
dissimilar  in  nature,  or  only  slightly 
so,  had  varied  and  often  absurd  thera- 
peutic actions  attributed  to  them. 

When,  in  many  other  ways  and  in- 
stances, chemistry  came  to  enlighten 
science,  it  showed  that  fats  and  oils 
had,  generally,  a  similar  constitution, 
depending  on  the  presence  of  basic 
and  acid  radicals — the  latter  being 
present  in  various  forms,  while  the 
former,  as  a  prophenyl  or  glyceryl, 
was  generally  found  as  a  constant 
component. 

When  Chevreul,  in  1811,  proclaimed 
the  chemistry  of  fats  and  oils,  and  iso- 
lated fatty  acids  from  their  bases,  the 
first  step  in  the  direction  of  a  more 


HISTORY   AND   ORIGIN.  6 

thorough  understanding  of  their  nature 
and  action  had  been  taken.  Quickly 
following  this  discovery  it  was  proved 
that  fatty  acids,  especially  the  oleic 
acid,  could  be  united  to  other  bases  as 
well  as  to  the  original  one. 

This  is  undoubtedly  the  first  com- 
prehensive knowledge  we  had  of  a 
class  of  remedial  substances  which 
forms  the  subject  of  this  treatise,  and 
which  are  known  as  oleates.  While  as 
such  they  had  been  in  use  for  centuries 
previous  to  this  period,  they  were  ap- 
plied empirically  without  a  knowledge 
of  their  constituents.  Thus  we  had 
lead-plaster,  soaps,  etc.,  but  they  were 
only  known  as  such,  and  not  as  salts 
or  combinations  of  a  fatty  acid  with 
metallic  or  alkaline  bases,  which 
stamped  them  respectively  as  lead 
oleopalmitates  and  sodium  or  potas- 
sium oleopalmitates  or  stearites. 


4:  THE   OLEATES. 

Their  medicinal  application,  in  va- 
rious ways,  by  using  oleic  acid  as  a 
solvent  for  alkaloidal  substances,  was 
subsequently  agitated  by  Professor 
Attfield,  in  1862 ;  and  a  paper  on  their 
use  in  medicine,  by  Dr.  John  Marshall, 
ten  years  later,  brought  them  promi- 
nently before  the  medical  profession. 
Dr.  Marshall's  valuable  communication 
and  its  suggestions  soon  attracted  at- 
tention, and  efforts  were  made  to  fur- 
ther perfect  both  the  acid  and  its 
products.  It  was  about  this  time  that 
Dr.  L.  Wolff,  a  well-known  chemist  of 
Philadelphia,  was  experimenting  on 
oleic  acid  and  its  derivatives,  and  in- 
terested me  in  his  investigations, 
which  we  afterwards  pursued  to- 
gether. 

The  oleic  acid  of  the  market  of  that 
period  was  an  unsightly,  dark,  and 
rancid  body,  of  very  offensive  odor, 


HISTOKY   AND   OEIGIN.  5 

known  to  the  trade  as  the  red  oil  of 
the  candle-maker — the  refuse,  after 
the  separation  of  most  of  the  stearic 
acid,  which  is  utilized  for  illuminating 
purposes.  It  represented  a  combina- 
tion of  oxyoleic  and  stearic  acids,  along 
with  numerous  volatile  fatty  products, 
and  if  it  were,  either  alone  or  other- 
wise, applied  to  the  skin,  it  proved  an 
irritant  rather  than  a  mild  vehicle  and 
carrier  of  medicinal  substances. 

Purification  of  this  acid  availed  very 
little,  and  to  this  day  its  use,  though 
advocated  by  mercenary  manufac- 
turers, is  often  accompanied,  as  I 
shall  point  out  hereafter,  with  fre- 
quently unpleasant  and  injurious  re- 
sults. 

As  the  oleates,  as  then  known,  were 
at  best  only  oleic  solutions,  or  solutions 
of  some  oleate  in  a  large  excess  of 

oleic   acid,  the   disappointments  they 
i* 


O  THE   OLEATES. 

caused  in  their  action  seriously  inter- 
fered with  their  successful  introduction 
and  use  by  the  profession.  While  oleic 
acid  sufficiently  pure  to  overcome  these 
objections  could  be  had,  and  was  so 
produced  by  Dr.  Wolff,  the  price,  in 
consequence  upon  the  manner  of  its 
production,  was  such  that  it  precluded 
its  extensive  use  in  hospital  or  general 
practice.  It  now  became  our  principal 
object  to  make  an  acid  sufficiently 
pure  and  at  a  reasonable  cost.  This 
object  was  accomplished  by  using  oil 
of  sweet  almonds — which  contains  a 
large  amount  of  olein — and  saponify- 
ing it  with  litharge,  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  is  employed  in  the  process  of 
making  ordinary  lead-plaster,  and  dis- 
solving the  mixture  in  petroleum  ben- 
zine at  a  low  boiling  point,  which  left 
the  lead  palmitate  undissolved;  the 
clear  solution  of  lead  oleate,  decanted 


HISTORY  AND   ORIGIN.  7 

from  its  palmitate,  was  then  put  into 
an  agitator,  and  thoroughly  shaken 
with  dilute  hydrochloric  acid  (one  in 
eight),  and  on  settling,  when  it  gave 
no  longer  evidence  of  the  presence  of 
lead  on  the  introduction  of  a  stream  of 
hydrogen  sulphide,  the  benzine  was 
distilled  off  from  it,  in  the  presence  of 
water,  to  obviate  the  possibility  of  the 
oxidation  of  the  acid.  The  acid  was 
now  deprived  of  the  odor  of  the 
heavier  coal-oil  products  by  intro- 
ducing a  stream  of .  aqueous  steam, 
and  was  kept  under  a  surface  cover- 
ing of  water  all  the  time  to  prevent 
oxidation.  It  was  subsequently  sepa- 
rated from  the  water,  and  filtered  in 
an  apparatus  admitting  of  no  access  of 
atmospheric  air. 

The  oleic  acid  so  obtained  contains 
no  palmitic  acid  (or  almost  none),  is  of 
very  light  color,  has  a  specific  gravity 


8  THE   OLEATES. 

of  0.800  at  19°  C.,  mixes  in  its  propor- 
tions with  stronger  alcohol  without 
giving  rise  to  turbidity,  proving  the 
absence  of  olein  •;  it  commences  to  soli- 
dify only  at  —  4°  C.  (and  not  +  4°  C. 
as  often  erroneously  stated,  which  it 
only  does  when  considerable  quantities 
of  palmitic  acid  are  in  it),  has  a  specific 
odor  without  being  acrid,  and  readily 
dissolves  the  principal  metallic  oxides 
and  alkaloids.  This  acid  can  be  pro- 
duced at  a  moderate  expense,  and  was 
by  us  subsequently  employed  in  ma- 
king the  oleates,  as  directed  by  Attfield 
and  Marshall.* 

These  oleates  are  the  remedies  of 
which  I  spoke  in  my  paper  presented 
to  the  Pennsylvania  State  Medical 

*  See  paper  on  Oleates,  with  discussion,  read  before* 
the  Section  of  Pharmacology  and  Therapeutics,  at  the 
Fifty-Second  Annual  meeting  of  the  British  Medical 
Association,  in  the  British  Medical  Journal,  October  18, 
1884,  pp.  749  to  754. 


HISTOEY  AND   OEIGIN. 

Society,*  in  1879,  and  the  use  of  which 
I  advocated  at  that  time  and  suggested 
that  it  was  a  subject  worthy  of  further 
investigation  and  improvement. 

"While  they  possessed  great  advan- 
tages over  the  ointments  then  in  use, 
they  were  by  no  means  perfect,  and  on 
account  of  their  instability  and  their 
indefinite  chemical  character  often 
gave  negative  and  discouraging  results. 
This  became  evident  in  the  so-called 
mercuric  oleate,  which  has  had  the 
most  extensive  use,  and  was,  in  our 
terminology,  not  even  treated  as  an 
oleate,  but  only  as  a  solution  of  mercu- 
ric oxide  in  oleic  acid,  the  former  being 
referred  to  by  the  percentage  in  which 
it  was  added  to  the  latter  and  mis- 
named an  oleate  of  so  much  strength. 
Although  it  contained  valuable  prop- 

*  Transactions  of  the  Medical  Society  of  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania,  volume  xii.  p.  707. 


10  THE  OLEATES. 

erties,  representing  those  of  the  oxide, 
it  failed  to  show  them  very  long,  as, 
by  its  chemical  nature,  the  acid  oxi- 
dized at  the  expense  of  the  oxide 
very  qnickly,  reducing  and  precipita- 
ting the  latter  both  as  a  mercurous 
oxide  and  metallic  mercury.  This  is 
unavoidable,  as  oleic  acid  is  a  readily 
oxidizable  body,  the  replaceable  hy- 
drogen of  which,  when  not  fully  satu- 
rated, is  bound  to  produce  like  results 
with  oxides  of  diads. 

The  oleates  of  the  alkaloids  pre- 
pared in  this  way  contain  large  ex- 
cesses of  acid,  and  represent  accord- 
ing to  their  chemical  character  a  more 
stable  class  of  remedies.  As  many 
of  the  alkaloids,  however,  are  not  en- 
tirely freed  from  their  acid  radicals, 
and  the  latter  are  not  displaced  by  the 
weaker  oleic  acid,  their  production  is 
not  always  easily  accomplished,  and  the 


HISTOKY  AND   ORIGIN.  11 

desire  of  the  manufacturer  to  produce 
clear  oleates  creates  the  danger  of 
removing  by  filtration  some  or  even  a 
greater  part  of  the  alkaloid  which  they 
contain ;  or  even  if  fully  dissolved  by 
heat  or  other  solvents,  they  are  very 
apt  to  recrystallize  or  separate  on 
standing  from  their  solutions.  These 
oleates  of  the  alkaloids,  as  they  are 
termed,  are  little  else  than  acid  solu- 
tions, or,  as  implied  by  their  name, 
they  were  considered  so  by  stating  the 
percentage  of  the  alkaloid  held  in  solu- 
tion by  the  oleic  acid.  Thus,  while  25 
per  cent,  quinine  oleate  contained  45.3 
per  cent,  of  the  oleate,  it  also  contained 
54.7  per  cent,  of  free  oleic  acid;  2  per 
cent,  aconitine  oleate — 3  per  cent,  of 
oleate,  97  per  cent,  free  acid;  2  per 
cent,  atropine  oleate — 3.94  per  cent, 
oleate,  and  96.06  per  cent,  acid;  5 
per  cent,  morphine  oleate — 6.5  per 


12  THE   OLEATES. 

cent,  oleate,  and  93.5  per  cent,  of  the 
acid;  2  per  cent,  veratrine  oleate — 
2.94  per  cent,  oleate  and  97.06  per  cent, 
acid;  2  per  cent,  strychnine  oleate — 
3.68  per  cent,  oleate  and  96.32  per  cent, 
of  acid.  It  will  thus  be  readily  seen 
that  there  is  a  vast  difference  be- 
tween oleic  solutions  of  alkaloids  and 
the  oleates  thereof.  While  in  other 
salts  we  lose  sight  of  the  acid  radical 
or  the  base,  which  we  consider  to  have 
lost  their  identity  in  the  chemical 
reaction  of  their  constituents,  we 
have  most  unscientifically  upheld  a 
series  of  preparations  which,  while  we 
have  termed  them  chemically,  we  have 
treated  as  mechanical  mixtures  alto- 
gether. To  use  the  argument  that 
the  alkaloidal  substances  alone  were 
to  give  force  to  such  preparations,  is 
to  set  up  a  theory  which  would  upset 
our  present  knowledge  that  two  bodies 


HISTOKY  AND   OKIGIN.  13 

on  entering  a  true  chemical  combina- 
tion lose  their  identity  in  forming  a 
third  at  variance  with  its  components. 
Even  the  oleates  of  the  alkaloids,  if 
they  are  to  be  used  in  medicine,  must 
be  considered  as  oleates  only  and  lost 
sight  of  as  a  mixture  of  alkaloid  and 
acid. 

Impressed  with  the  many  defects, 
disadvantages,  and  the  instability  of 
the  oleates  as  then  made,  we  worked 
toward  the  end  of  getting  oleates  that 
would  be  what  their  name  implied,  re- 
main stable,  and  could  be  relied  on 
for  their  action.  To  accomplish  this, 
it  was  first  of  all  necessary  to  have  an 
oleic  acid  both  in  name  and  nature, 
and  next  to  combine  it  fully,  i.  e.9 
saturate  it  with  the  base  to  be  used, 
and  thus  enable  us  to  produce  neutral 
and  chemical  oleates  having  neither 
base  nor  acid  in  excess. 


14  THE   OLEATES. 

This  was  effected,  as  described  in 
a  brief  and  incomplete  manner  in  my 
paper  presented  to  the  Pennsylvania 
Medical  Society  in  1882,  by  first  using 
the  above  described  oleic  acid  in  mak- 
ing a  sodinm  oleate  as  the  source  for 
all  the  other  oleates,  and  the  manu- 
facture of  which  I  shall  now  proceed 
to  describe. 


II. 

-PKOCESS  OF  MANUFACTUEE. 
SODIUM   OLEATE. 

Na.  C18H3302.  M.W.  304. 
SODIUM  oleate  is  perhaps  one  of  the 
oldest  if  not  the  oldest  oleate  known ; 
it  does  not  occur  in  a  pure  state  in  com- 
merce, the  substance  representing  it 
being  known  as  the  soap  of  the  market. 
That  the  sodium  is  combined  with 
not  only  oleic  acid,  but  also  palmitic, 
stearic,  and  other  acids,  making  it  an 
oleopalmitate  or  oleostearate  or  both, 
is  well  known;  also,  that  in  the 
process  of  saponification  a  great  deal 
of  the  oleic  acid  is  changed  into  oxy- 
oleic  acid.  To  make  a  pure  and  true 
sodium  oleate  therefore  is  easily  ef- 
fected by  saponifying  oleic  acid,  as  I 

(15) 


16  THE   OLEATES. 

have  stated,  with  a  solution  of  sodium 
hydrate  or  potassium  hydrate,  on  the 
saturation  of  which  water  is  added 
and  heat  applied  until  a  clear  solution 
of  the  sodium  oleate  is  obtained.  This, 
if  it  were  neutral,  might  at  once  be 
utilized  to  make  the  oleates;  but  as 
this  cannot  practically  be  accom- 
plished, and  an  excess  of  alkali  would 
reduce  the  salts  used  for  their  precipi- 
tation, or  an  excess  of  oleic  acid  would 
again  cause  an  excess  of  acid,  which 
was  found  of  such  disadvantage  in  the 
earlier  oleates,  it  is  therefore  neces- 
sary to  have  in  the  process  of  making 
the  sodium  oleate  the  alkali  slightly 
in  excess,  and  then  by  the  salting  out 
process  of  the  soapmaker  to  separate 
the  oleate  from  its  solution.  This 
accomplished,  it  is  strained  from  the 
liquid,  well  expressed,  and  then  allow- 
ed to  dry.  As  yet,, however,  it  con- 


PROCESS   OF   MANUFACTURE.          17 

tains  salt  and  water  and  other  admix- 
tures which  are  best  removed  by  dis- 
solving the  mass  in  stronger  alcohol, 
filtering  it,  and  recovering  the  alco- 
hol in  it  by  distillation.  The  pure 
sodium  oleate  so  derived  presents  a 
diaphanous  almost  colorless  body, 
readily  soluble  in  warm  and  only 
slowly  soluble  in  cold  water.  A  solu- 
tion of  this  in  eight  parts  of  water 
is  what  I  shall  term  hereafter  the 
sodium  oleate  solution,  by  means  of 
which  all  oleates  are  to  be  made. 

The  manufacture  of  oleates  from  the 
sodium  oleate  solution  is  very  simple 
and  easily  accomplished.  A  neutral 
solution  of  a  salt  of  the  substance  to  be 
derived  as  an  oleate,  is  added  to  the  so- 
dium oleate  solution  until  the  latter  is 
completely  decomposed,  a  degree  to  be 
ascertained  with  a  little  experience  in 
the  manipulation,  and  most  readily 


18  THE   OLEATES. 

detected  when  on  rapid  stirring  no 
froth  appears  on  the  surface  or  bub- 
bles cease  to  form.  As  some  of  the 
salts,  however,  on  addition  of  water, 
not  alone  decompose  but  fail  to  yield 
oleates,  and  their  purification  besides 
is  a  matter  of  difficulty,  I  will  treat 
the  process  employed  for  each  sepa- 
rately, giving,  however,  first  a  synop- 
sis of  the  general  plan  to  be  adopted 
for  making  oleates  of  the  alkaloids. 

OLEATES   OF   THE   ALKALOIDS. 

As  many  of  the  salts  of  the  alka- 
loids are  not  readily  soluble  in  water, 
their  solution  is  accomplished  by  the 
addition  of  a  slight  excess  of  their 
acids,  which,  upon  being  filtered,  are 
added  to  a  warm  solution  of  sodium 
oleate.  The  amount  of  the  salts  so 
used  is  to  be  noted,  and  the  correspon- 
ding amount  of  their  alkaloids  com- 


PROCESS   OF   MANUFACTURE.          19 

puted  from  their  molecular  weights, 
along  with  the  necessary  amount  of 
oleic  acid  necessary  for  complete  satu- 
ration. The  separated  oleate,  de- 
prived of  its  water,  is  then  weighed 
and  the  result  in  excess  of  the  com- 
puted oleate  is  set  down  as  free  olcic 
acid.  As  the  oleates  of  these  prepara- 
tions are  at  present  principally  used 
as  acid  solutions  (a  method  which  I  do 
not  recommend,  however),  sufficient 
oleic  acid  is  added  to  bring  it  up  to 
the  requisite  percentage,  the  true  alka- 
loidal  oleate  serving  as  a  base. 

ALUMINIUM   OLEATE. 

A12  (C18  H^  02)3.  M.  W.  397. 
This  is  a  substance  of  a  yellowish 
color  of  the  consistence  of  a  soft  plaster 
mass,  but  elastic  to  the  touch,  resemb- 
ling hardened  gelatine  both  in  con- 
sistence and  appearance.  It  is  often 


20  THE   OLEATES. 

manufactured  of  a  white  color  and 
streaked  with  yellow  and  brown,  or 
spotted  with  foreign  ingredients.  This 
is  due  to  the  fact  that  it  has  not  been 
purified  or  deprived  of  the  water  it 
holds  inclosed  in  the  spongy  mass  as 
first  precipitated.  If  pure  and  true  it 
should  readily  and  without  turbidity 
dissolve  in  ether,  chloroform,  or  petro- 
leum benzine,  should  make  a  clear  solu- 
tion with  fats  or  oils  when  melted  with 
them  over  a  water-bath,  and  should  be 
very  tenacious.  It  is  best  prepared  by 
precipitating  the  sodium  oleate  solu- 
tion with  a  solution  of  aluminium  sul- 
phate; the  white  spongy  precipitate 
should  be  first  expressed,  then  freed 
from  the  adhering  water  at  a  tem- 
perature not  exceeding  100°  C.,  after 
which  it  is  dissolved  in  good  and 
very  volatile  petroleum  benzine;  the 
benzine  solution  is  then  filtered  and 


PROCESS   OF   MANUFACTURE.          21 

the  benzine  allowed  to  evaporate  or 
distilled  off.  The  aluminium  oleate 
thus  derived,  well  heated  over  a  water- 
bath  to  rid  it  of  any  adhering  petro- 
leum odor,  is  then  ready,  and  presents 
the  condition  and  appearance  as  I 
have  noted. 

Aluminium  oleate,  according  to  its 
molecular  weight,  contains  about  3.1 
per  cent,  metallic  aluminium,  equiva- 
lent to  about  17.9  per  cent,  aluminium 
hydrate. 

ARSENICUM   OLEATE. 

A3  (C18  H^  02)3.    M.W.918. 

This  oleate,  if  properly  prepared  and 
well  made,  is  of  a  reddish-brown  color 
of  a  solid  somewhat  waxlike  consist- 
ence, breaks  on  bending,  and  melts  at 
about  85°  C.  As  generally  offered  in 
the  market,  and  by  some  very  respect- 
able manufacturers  too,  it  is  not  an 


22  THE   OLEATES. 

oleate  but  simply  a  mixture  of  oleic 
acid,  chloride  of  sodium,  and  arsenious 
acid  (to  the  latter  of  which  its  apparent 
effect  has  been  due),  and  is  readily 
miscible  with  alcohol,  yielding  there- 
with a  clear  solution.  If  a  portion 
of  this  be  treated  with  ether,  or,  still 
better,  petroleum  benzine,  and  this,  by 
filtration  or  separation,  is  separated 
from  the  underlying  aqueous  layer, 
and  into  it  a  current  of  hydrogen 
sulphide  be  led,  no  precipitate  occurs, 
showing  the  total  absence  of  arsenicum 
oleate.  The  arsenicum  oleate  (and  so 
far  the  only  one  which  I  have  been 
able  to  get  is  from  Dr.  L.  Wolff),  be- 
sides possessing  the  characteristics 
and  appearance  as  above  stated,  should 
be  insoluble  in  alcohol  but  readily  and 
entirely  soluble  in  petroleum  benzine, 
and  when  a  current  of  hydrogen  sul- 
phide is  introduced  into  the  latter 


PKOCESS   OF  MANUFACTURE.          23 

solution  after  filtration  it  gives  a 
copious  yellow  precipitate  of  arseni- 
cum  sulphide. 

In  my  last  paper  on  the  "Oleates 
and  Oleopalmitates  in  Skin  Diseases," 
already  referred  to,  I  simply  gave  in 
brief  a  few  hints  as  to  how  arsenicum 
oleate  may  be  obtained,  with  no  at- 
tempt at  accuracy  or  detail,  and  I  am 
therefore  not  surprised  at  the  failure 
of  many  manufacturers  with  it,  in 
view  of  the  fact  that  the  arsenicum 
chloride  is  at  once  decomposed  into 
arsenious  acid  and  hydrochloric  acid 
on  the  addition  of  water.  If  the 
arsenicum  chloride  simply  be  added 
to  the  sodium  oleate  solution,  the  re- 
sult will  be  invariably  a  pseudo  oleate, 
as  already  pointed  out,  and  I  therefore 
give  the  method  employed  by  Dr. 
Wolff,  which  he  describes  as  follows : 
"A  solution  of  arsenicum  chloride  is 


24  THE   OLEATES. 

made  in  the  usual  way  and  then  di- 
luted with  about  four  times  its  bulk 
of  glycerine.  Instead  of  the  sodium 
oleate  solution,  I  use  the  alcoholic 
solution  before  the  alcohol  is  distilled 
from  it.  This  alcoholic  sodium  oleate 
solution  is  mixed  with  the  glycerine 
solution  of  arsenicum  chloride  until 
the  former  is  fully  decomposed.  After 
the  precipitate  is  strained  off,  washed 
well  with  alcohol  to  get  rid  of  any 
adhering  glycerine,  the  washed  pre- 
cipitate dissolved  in  benzine,  and  the 
benzine  fully  evaporated,  the  residue 
will  present  a  chemically  true  and  pure 
arsenicum  oleate.  According  to  com- 
putation it  contains  about  8.16  per 
cent,  of  metallic  arsenic,  representing 
about  21.5  per  cent,  of  arsenious  acid." 


PROCESS   OF   MANUFACTURE.          25 
BISMUTH   OLEATE. 

Bi  (C18  H33  03)3.    M.  W.  1053. 

This  is  a  soft  unguent  body  of 
pearly-gray  color,  and  should  be  term- 
ed, chemically,  a  bismuthous  oleate,  as 
bismuthyl  does  not  enter  into  combi- 
nation with  oleic  acid,  a  fact  which  is 
overlooked  by  many  in  endeavoring 
to  make  a  direct  union  of  bismuth 
oxide  with  that  acid.  Ointments,  so 
named,  hold  simply  the  oxide  in  sus- 
pension, but  contain  none  of  it  in 
solution  or  chemical  combination.  It 
should  be  when  properly  prepared 
semi-diaphanous,  and  on  being  rubbed 
on  the  skin  should  present  no  evi- 
dence of  any  solid  particles  suspended 
therein,  i.  e.,  it  should  leave  no  white 
mark  on  the  skin  or  its  crevices.  It 
parts  very  reluctantly  with  the  water 
it  holds  in  suspension,  and  many  of 


26  THE   OLEATES. 

the  articles  of  this  name  in  the  market 
have  a  watery  sponge-like  appearance. 
When  first  precipitated  it  is  very 
white,  and  on  manipulation  a  great 
deal  of  water  may  be  liberated ;  while 
in  this  state  it  does  not  readily  mix 
or  dissolve  in  benzine,  but  on  driv- 
ing off  all  the  water  by  evaporation 
it  fully  dissolves,  yielding  an  almost 
clear  solution.  Its  preparation  is  not 
quite  as  easy  as  some  of  the  others, 
as  it  requires  first  of  all  the  forma- 
tion of  bismuthous  nitrate  in  crystals. 
This  is  accomplished  by  treating  puri- 
fied metallic  bismuth  with  nitric  acid, 
evaporation,  and  subsequent  crystal- 
lization. The  crystals  thus  derived 
are  first  drained  off,  dried  between 
bibulous  paper,  and  then  dissolved  in 
glycerine.  This  glycerole  of  bismuth- 
ous nitrate  is  then  decomposed  with 
the  solution  of  sodium  oleate,  yielding 


PROCESS   OF   MANUFACTURE.  27 

a  bulky,  white  precipitate  as  before 
remarked.  Bismuthous  nitrate  can- 
not be  dissolved  in  water,  as  it  yields 
then  the  bismuthyl  nitrate.  Any  bis- 
muth oleate  made  in  that  way  is  little 
more  than  a  suspension  of  bismuthyl 
nitrate  (bismuth  subnitrate)  in  oleic 
acid.  The  precipitate  should  be  well 
washed  with  copious  repetitions  of  hot 
water  until  no  traces  of  sodium  nitrate 
are  detected  in  the  washing.  It  is  then 
transferred  to  a  water  bath  and  evap- 
orated until  samples  taken  from  it 
dissolve  in  benzine  without  turbidity. 
The  true  and  pure  bismuth  oleate  con- 
tains about  19.9  per  cent,  metallic  bis- 
muth in  combination  with  oleic  acid, 
that  amount  of  bismuth  representing 
about  44.3  per  cent,  bismuth  oxide. 


28  THE  OLEATES. 

CADMIUM  OLEATE. 

Ca  (C18  H^  02)2.    M.  W.  673.8. 

It  is  of  a  waxy  consistence,  yellowish- 
white,  and  dissolves  readily  in  benzine. 
If  dissolved  in  petroleum  fats  it  gives 
a  solution  of  great  brilliancy,  which, 
on  cooling,  assumes  a  semi-diaphanous 
appearance.  It  is  readily  made  by 
precipitating  the  sodium  oleate  solu- 
tion with  an  aqueous  solution  of 
cadmium  sulphate.  The  precipitate 
should  be  well  washed  out  with  warm 
water  until  the  washings  fail  to  show 
any  sulphate  if  tested  with  barium 
chloride  solution.  It  is  then  dried 
well  over  the  water  bath  or  between 
bibulous  paper.  It  contains  about 
16.5  per  cent,  of  metallic  cadmium. 


PKOCESS  OF  MANUFACTURE.    29 
COPPEK  OLEATE. 

Cu  (C18  Has  02)2.    M.  W.  625.4. 

This  is  a  beautiful  green  waxy  sub- 
stance of  the  cupric  group,  resembling 
on  drying  slight  efflorescence  of  cupric 
salts.  It  dissolves  readily  arid  without 
turbidity  in  benzine,  ether,  and  chloro- 
form; oil  of  turpentine  imparting  to 
these  solutions  its  beautiful  dark 
green  color.  On  account  of  its  easy 
method  of  manufacture  it  is  generally 
obtained  in  a  good  and  pure  condition, 
provided  that  the  oleic  acid  used  in 
the  process  of  making  sodium  oleate 
is  pure  and  devoid  of  oxyoleic  and 
other  irritant  impurities.  It  is  readily 
made  by  precipitating  the  sodium 
oleate  solution  with  a  solution  of 
cupric  sulphate,  the  precipitate  well 
washed  with  hot  water,  until  freed 
from  the  sodium  sulphate  formed  in 


30  THE   OLEATES. 

the  decomposition,  then  dried  between 
bibulous  paper,  and  subsequently  air- 
dried.  So  made  it  contains  about 
10.1  per  cent,  of  copper. 

IRON   OLEATE. 

Fe  (C18  H^  02)2.  M.  W.  617.9. 
This  is  a  dark-brown-reddish  plaster- 
like  substance  of  a  distinct  ferruginous 
odor.  As  generally  found  it  meets 
all  indications,  excepting  that  impure 
oleic  acid  still  further  renders  its  odor 
more  disagreeable.  It  is  prepared  by 
precipitating  the  sodium  oleate  solu- 
tion with  a  solution  of  ferrous  sul- 
phate. When  first  precipitated  it  is 
of  a  greenish- white  color,  which  upon 
boiling  and  exposure  to  the  atmos- 
phere changes  to  a  reddish  and  subse- 
quently to  a  dark-brown-reddish  color. 
It  should  be  well  washed  in  the  usual 
way  to  remove  the  sodium  sulphate  of 


PROCESS   OF   MANUFACTURE.          31 

the  decomposition  process  as  well  as 
the  ferrous  sulphate  used  in  excess  in 
the  precipitation.  It  contains  about 
9.4  per  cent,  of  metallic  iron. 

LEAD   OLEATE. 

Pb  (C18H3A)2.  M.  W.  669. 
This  is  one  of  the  oldest  known 
oleates,  antedating  as  such  even  the 
knowledge  of  oleic  acid  and  its  com- 
pounds. It  represents  as  such  a  purer 
state  of  the  lead-plaster  of  the  Phar- 
macopoeias. It  is  of  a  yellowish-white 
color,  of  plaster  consistence,  though 
harder  than  the  ordinary  lead-plaster, 
and  devoid  of  the  slippery  feeling 
conveyed  to  the  latter  owing  to 
the  presence  of  glycerine.  It  should 
be  readily  soluble  in  benzine  with 
slight  turbidity,  and  after  filtration  of 
the  solution  and  evaporation  of  the 
latter  leaves  a  semi-diaphanous 


32  THE   OLEATES. 

plaster  body,  which  on  exposure  to 
the  air  assumes  at  first  a  yellowish 
color  giving  way  to  a  pure  white.  It 
is  readily  and  easily  prepared  by  pre- 
cipitating the  sodium  oleate  solution 
with  a  solution  of  the  neutral  lead 
acetate.  In  its  precipitation  there  is 
always  some  lead  hydrate  and  car- 
bonate formed,  which,  however,  as  a 
contamination,  is  not  objectionable. 
After  precipitating  it  should  be  well 
washed  with  warm  water  until  the 
washings  come  off  pure,  and  if  de- 
sired to  obtain  it  absolutely  pure  it 
should  be  dissolved  in  benzine  after 
being  thoroughly  pressed  out  and 
dried.  The  benzine  should  then  be 
allowed  to  evaporate.  It  contains 
about  26.7  per  cent,  of  metallic  lead. 


PEOCESS  OF  MANUFACTURE.    33 
MERCURIC  OLEATE. 

Hg  (C18H3302),    M.W.762. 

This  oleate  is  by  far  the  most  impor- 
tant one  which  up  to  the  present  time 
has  been  the  most  extensively  used. 
It  is  of  a  yellow  color,  of  a  some- 
what tenacious  ointment  consistence, 
and  of  the  general  odor  of  all  oleates. 
As  usually  found  in  the  market  it 
has  a  greenish-gray  color,  owing  to 
the  fact  that  its  mercuric  compo- 
nent is  reduced  to  a  mercurous  oxide 
and  metallic  mercury,  and  has  an 
excess  of  oleic  acid  favoring  the  re- 
duction process.  If  pure  and  properly 
made  it  will  show  no  sign  of  this  ex- 
cess; it  should  be  insoluble  in  alcohol, 
but  readily  soluble  without  turbidity 
in  benzine.  Mixed  with  several  times 
its  weight  of  stronger  alcohol,  and  the 
oleate  allowed  to  deposit  in  this  solu- 


34  THE   OLEATES. 

• 

tion,  will  give  the  amount  of  mercuric 
oleate  in  the  latter  after  all  the  alcohol 
is  evaporated,  while  the  evaporated 
alcoholic  washings  will  give  the 
amount  of  free  oleic  acid.  A  bright 
strip  of  copper  immersed  in  the  oleate 
will  speedily  be  covered  with  a  film 
of  metallic  mercury. 

It  has  been  the  custom  to  use  as 
mercuric  oleates  oleic  solutions  thereof, 
to  the  detriment  of  the  preparation,  as, 
by  its  oxidizing  tendency,  the  oleic 
acid  soon  disoxidizes  the  mercuric 
oxide  entering  into  its  composition 
and  deposits  it  in  such  solutions  as 
mercurous  oxide .  as  well  as  globular 
metallic  mercury.  That  such  solu- 
tions when  used  fail  to  give  satisfac- 
tion in  results  is,  therefore,  not  to  be 
wondered  at,  and  I  feel  satisfied  that 
none  of  the  so-called  oleates,  or  rather 
oleic  solutions,  contain,  after  standing 


PKOCESS   OF  MANUFACTURE.          35 

for  some  time,  any  appreciable  or 
serviceable  amount  of  mercuric  oleate. 
The  utmost  care  has  been  exercised  by 
chemists  to  overcome  this,  both  by 
using  purer  acids  as  well  as  a  nicety 
of  manipulation,  but  to  no  purpose,  as 
the  fault  lies  in  the  excess  of  the  acid, 
which  will  never  admit  the  keeping  of 
such  an  unobjectionable  preparation. 
The  process  of  making  mercuric  oleate 
may  be  conducted  in  two  ways.  The 
direct  one  is  to  unite  the  pure  acid 
directly  with  the  mercuric  oxide  in  its 
chemical  proportions,  i.  e.,  71.65  parts 
of  oleic  acid  with  28.35  parts  of  mer- 
curic oxide ;  but  this  process  is  subject 
to  the  excess  of  either  one  or  the  other, 
which,  however,  can  be  remedied  by 
washing  with  stronger  alcohol  to  re- 
move any  excess  of  acid.  To  remove 
any  undecomposed  particles  of  mer- 
curic oxide  which  would  become  detri- 


36  THE   OLEATES. 

mental  as  local  irritants,  dissolve  the 
oleate  so  derived  in  benzine,  filter  the 
benzine  solution  and  allow  the  benzine 
to  evaporate.  Care  must  be  had  in  the 
direct  process  to  conduct  it  entirely 
under  water  and  only  with  a  moderate 
heat,  else  the  process  of  reduction  will 
commence  before  the  entire  reaction 
has  taken  place. 

The  second,  and  by  far  the  most 
simple  and  rapid  one  of  the  two,  as 
well  as  that  admitting  of  a  better 
product,  is  by  the  double  decomposi- 
tion of  sodium  oleate  and  mercuric 
nitrate.  The  mercuric  nitrate  for 
that  purpose  is  made  by  the  action 
of  strong  nitric  acid  on  mercuric 
oxide  in  sufficient  quantities  to  en- 
tirely dissolve  the  latter,  taking  care 
to  use  as  little  acid  in  excess  as  pos- 
sible. The  solution  so  obtained  is 
diluted  with  some  water,  an  excess 


PKOCESS   OF  MANUFACTUKE.          37 

being  avoided,  and  is  then  decom- 
posed by  additions  to  it  of  solu- 
tions of  sodium  oleate  until  the 
latter  is  in  excess,  which  will  be 
the  case  when  the  characteristic  froth 
of  soap  is  observed  on  the  surface. 
The  heavy  precipitate,  so  formed,  is 
next  drained  off,  and  washed  with 
warm  water  to  remove  all  traces  of 
soap  and  potassium  nitrate,  and  when 
this  is  accomplished  and  free  from 
water,  it  is  mixed  with  alcohol,  which 
dissolves  the  free  oleic  acid  from  the 
oleate,  caused  by  the  excess  of  nitric 
acid  in  the  mercuric  nitrate  solution, 
and  after  this  is  decanted,  the  alcohol 
is  evaporated  from  the  oleate.  The 
washings  containing  oleic  acid  can  be 
distilled  and  the  alcohol  recovered  for 
use  in  similar  subsequent  proceedings. 
The  mercuric  oleate  so  prepared  is  a 
pure  and  true  oleate,  permanent  under 


38  THE   OLEATES. 

all  ordinary  atmospheric  conditions, 
and  can  be  relied  on  for  its  action. 
If  to  be  diluted,  it  is  best  done  with 
a  neutral  fatty  body,  which  will  not 
cause  its  decomposition.  A  neutral 
mercuric  oleate  thus  prepared  con- 
tains about  26.2  per  cent,  of  metal- 
lic mercury,  equivalent  to  about  28.35 
per  cent,  of  mercuric  oxide. 

MEKCUKOUS   OLEATE. 

Hg2  (C18  H33  02),    M.  W.  962. 

This  is  an  oleate  not  generally 
known  or  used,  and  only  recently 
brought  out  by  me.  It  is  a  whitish- 
gray  granular  sticky  substance,  which 
is  very  prone  to  decompose,  forming 
1  mercuric  oleate  and  mercurous  oxide, 
also  globular  mercury.  It  is  at  once 
so  decomposed  if  boiled  or  treated 
with  hot  water,  and  should  be  washed 
out  cold  only  to  free  it  from  the  ad- 


PROCESS   OF   MANUFACTURE.  39 

hering  sodium  nitrate,  and  then  freed 
from  adhering  water  between  bibu- 
lous paper.  It  is  quite  distinct,  both 
in  appearance  as  well  as  in  effect,  from 
the  mercuric  oleate,  and  on  account  of 
its  ready  decomposition  and  the  libe- 
ration of  free  mercury  it  is  apt  to  pro- 
duce the  same  effect  as  the  mercurial 
ointment  of  the  Pharmacopoeia.  It 
makes  a  turbid  solution  with  benzine 
and  dissolves  readily  and  clear  in 
warm  fats  and  in  the  petroleum  oint- 
ments. It  is  prepared  from  crystal- 
lized mercurous  nitrate,  which  in  turn 
is  prepared  by  treating  metallic  mer- 
cury in  excess  with  nitric  acid,  evapo- 
rating the  solutions  crystallizing  the 
same,  and  drying  the  drained  crys- 
tals between  bibulous  paper.  This 
aqueous  solution,  decomposed  with 
sodium  oleate,  gives  at  first  a  whitish 
precipitate,  which  if  washed  with  hot 


40  THE   OLEATES. 

and  boiling  water  yields  a  grayish- 
blue  ointment  representing  mercurial 
plaster  both  in  appearance  and  physi- 
cal properties.  In  that  form  it  repre- 
sents a  mercuric-mercurous  oleate, 
and  combines  both  the  sorbefacient 
effect  of  the  mercuric  oleate  with  the 
constitutional  impression  of  the  mer- 
curial ointment.  Its  advantage  is  that 
it  contains  double  the  amount  of 
mercury  than  the  preceding  mercuric 
oleate,  which  amounts  to  about  41.5 
per  cent,  of  the  metal. 

NICKEL   OLEATE. 

Ni  (C18  Haa  02)2.    M.W.  621. 

This  is  another  new  oleate  recently 
brought  out  and  investigated  by  me. 
It  is  of  a  beautiful  blended  light-green 
color,  a  glossy,  waxy  appearance,  and 
plaster  consistence.  It  mixes  readily 
with  fats  and  oils  and  dissolves  in 


PROCESS  OF  MANUFACTURE.  41 

benzine.  It  is  made  by  decomposing 
sodium  oleate  solution  with  a  solution 
of  nickel  sulphate,  washing  the  pre- 
cipitate with  warm  water  and  express- 
ing and  drying  it  at  an  ordinary  tem- 
perature. It  contains  about  9.5  per 
cent,  metallic  nickel. 

SILVER  OLEATE. 

Ag.  C18H3302.    M.  W.  389. 

The  silver  oleate  is  a  grayish-brown 
pulverulent  body  of  an  odor  resembl- 
ing oleic  acid.  It  differs  from  the 
other  oleates  in  the  respect  that  it  is 
not  by  itself  soluble  in  either  benzine 
or  neutral  fats,  but  needs  an  excess 
of  oleic  acid  to  render  it  so.  That  it 
is  an  oleate,  which  might  be  doubted 
from  what  is  said  above,  can  readily 
be  substantiated  by  burning  it  on  pla- 
tinum foil,  when  it  will  give  off  profuse 
vapors,  of  an  acrid  odor,  of  a  fatty, 

4* 


42  THE   OLEATES. 

empyreumatic  nature,  while  a  small 
quantity  of  silver  oxide  will  be  left 
behind.  It  is  easily  prepared  by  pre- 
cipitating a  solution  of  the  silver 
nitrate  with  the  solution  of  sodium 
oleate,  washing  the  precipitate  with 
warm,  distilled  water,  excluding  light 
while  conducting  the  process,  to  pre- 
vent darking  of  the  precipitate,  and 
also  expressing  and  drying  it  with  ex- 
clusion of  light.  It,  however,  soon 
changes  color,  getting  darker,  and 
therefore  should  be  preserved  in  either 
blue,  or,  better  still,  amber-colored 
bottles.  It  contains  about  27.6  per 
cent,  of  metallic  silver,  equivalent  to 
about  59.3  per  cent,  of  silver  oxide. 

TIN   OLEATE. 

Sn  (C18  H^  02)2.    M.W.680. 

This   is   a  new  oleate,  that  I   had 
occasion  to  introduce.    It  is  an  un- 


PKOCESS   OF  MANUFACTUKE.          43 

guent  body  of  soft  consistence,  and 
brownish-gray  color,  has  a  character- 
istic metallic  odor,  and  a  very  fine, 
greasy  touch.  It  readily  dissolves  in 
benzine,  and  makes  a  clear  solution 
when  mixed  with  warm  fatty  sub- 
stances or  petroleum  products.  It  is 
prepared  by  decomposing  a  solution  of 
tin  chloride  with  sodium  oleate  solu- 
tion; as,  however,  a  certain  amount  of 
tin  oxide  is  separated  in  this  process, 
it  should,  after  separating  it  from  the 
liquids  of  decomposition  and  washing, 
be  dissolved  in  benzine;  the  solution, 
after  filtration,  leaves^  on  the  evapora- 
tion of  the  benzine,  the  tin  oleate.  It 
contains  about  17.3  per  cent,  of  metal- 
lic tin. 

ZINC   OLEATE. 

Zn  (C18  H^  02)2. 

Specific  gravity  1.0663.  M.  W.  629.9. 
This,  one  of  the  most  important  of 


44  -THE   OLEATES. 

this  series  of  preparations,  is,  in  its 
most  useful  form,  an  impalpable  white 
powder,  of  a  fine,  soapy  touch,  some- 
what oily  odor,  and  if  heated  it  melts 
into  a  homogeneous  yellow  liquid, 
which,  on  cooling,  hardens  into  a 
mass  presenting  a  crystalline  frac- 
ture, with  a  specific  gravity  as  stated. 
In  powder  form,  while  not  entirely 
soluble  in  benzine,  it  readily  dis- 
solves, if  warmed  over  the  water- 
bath,  with  fat  oils  or  petroleum  fats, 
which  is  requisite  to  test  its  purity, 
for  if  zinc  oxide  is  present  warmed 
fats  will  not  affect  it.  If  burnt  on 
platinum  foil  it  should  burn  off  to 
a  large  extent,  leaving  but  a  small 
white  residue,  soluble  in  concentrated 
mineral  acids.  Its  complete  solubility 
in  warmed  fats,  absence  of  a  disagree- 
able smoky  odor,  and  combustion,  are 
the  surest  tests  of  its  purity.  While 


PROCESS   OF   MANUFACTURE.          45 

it  is  easily  prepared,  it  requires  some 
skill  to  obtain  it  as  an  impalpable, 
perfectly  white  powder.  This  is  ac- 
complished by  using  a  dilute  solution 
of  zinc  sulphate  and  decomposing  it 
while  cold  with  the  sodium  oleate 
solution.  It  is  of  importance  that  the 
solutions  should  be  cold,  and  the  zinc 
solution  perfectly  neutral,  else  an  ole- 
ate will  result  that  is  coarse,  granular, 
and  soft,  unfit  for  any  other  use  than 
making  ointments.  The  more  dilute 
the  zinc  sulphate  solution,  the  finer 
and  whiter  the  oleate  will  be.  After 
thoroughly  washing  it  with  cold  water 
it  should  be  expressed,  and  the  cake 
air-dried  and  ultimately  powdered, 
which  is  easily  accomplished.  It  con- 
tains about  10.4  per  cent,  of  metallic 
zinc,  in  combination  with  oleic  acid, 
which  is  equal  to  about  12.9  of  zinc 
oxide. 


III. 

PHYSIOLOGICAL  ACTION  OF  THE  OLEATES. 

WITH  a  view  of  determining  whether 
the  oleates  were  absorbed  into  the 
blood  when  applied  to  the  skin  and 
thus  produce  systemic  effects,  the 
following  experiments  were  made  by 
Dr.  L.  Wolff  and  myself  at  the  well- 
eqnipped  physiological  laboratory  of 
the  Jefferson  Medical  College,  aided 
by  Dr.  Brubaker,  the  Demonstrator 
of  Physiology  of  that  institution. 

In  all  instances  the  observations 
were  made  upon  rabbits,  and  were  con- 
ducted in  the  same  way,  viz :  after 
being  properly  secured  on  a  Czermak 
holder,  the  hair  was  carefully  removed 
from  the  abdomen,  so  as  to  present  as 

clean  a  surface  as  possible  for  the  ac- 
(46) 


PHYSIOLOGICAL   ACTION.  47 

tion  of  the  drug.  The  animals  were 
then  placed  in  a  large  glass  jar,  so  that 
the  excretion  might  be  collected  and 
examined  chemically,  to  determine 
whether  the  drug  had  been  absorbed. 
The  first  oleate  experimented  with  was 
the- 

QUININE  OLEATE  (25  per  cent.).  One 
ounce  was  thoroughly  rubbed  over  the 
abdomen  for  a  period  of  five  minutes. 
At  the  end  of  twenty-four  hours  the 
urine  was  carefully  examined,  but  no 
trace  of  quinine  could  be  detected.  In 
all  other  respects  the  animal  was  in  a 
normal  condition. 

In  the  second  rabbit  two  drachms  of 
the  same  oleate  were  injected  into  the 
abdominal  cavity.  At  the  end  of  six 
hours  no  apparent  effect  had  been 
produced,  but  in  eighteen  hours  it 
was  dead.  Post-mortem  examination 
showed  .  evidences  of  irritation  and 


48  THE   OLEATES. 

congestion  of  the  peritoneal  mem- 
brane, while  the  coagulated  oil  was 
found  over  the  viscera  and  in  the 
peritoneal  cavity.  In  this  case  no 
quinine  was  discernible  in  the  urine. 

THE  MEBCUEIC  OLEATE  was  next  ex- 
perimented with  in  the  same  way. 
Two  drachms  were  applied  over  the 
skin  of  the  abdomen.  At  the  end  of 
twenty-four  hours  the  feces  had  lost 
their  hard  character,  and  had  become 
soft  and  of  a  yellowish-brown  color. 
The  feces  and  urine  were  both  ex- 
amined, but  no  mercury  could  be  ob- 
tained. (The  change  in  the  consist- 
ency of  the  feces  might  have  been  due 
to  the  rubbing  of  the  abdomen.)  The 
animal  exhibited  no  other  evidences  of 
the  action  of  mercury. 

THE  COPPER  OLEATE  was  next  ap- 
plied. Two  drachms,  softened  with 
oleic  acid,  were  rubbed  upon  the  ab- 


PHYSIOLOGICAL  ACTION.  49 

domen  thoroughly.  The  rabbit  re- 
mained in  an  apparently  normal  con- 
dition; at  the  end  of  twenty-four  hours 
the  urine  did  not  contain  a  trace  of 
copper. 

THE  ZINC  OLEATE  (one-half  ounce) 
was  applied  in  an  exactly  similar 
manner.  At  the  end  of  twenty-four 
hours  the  subject  was  decidedly  stupid, 
and  almost  helpless  as  regards  motion. 
Upon  killing  it  with  ether  and  then 
opening  the  abdomen,  a  thick  layer  of 
gelatinous  material  was  found  just 
beneath  the  skin.  The  bloodvessels 
of  the  skin  were  enlarged.  The  irri- 
tability of  the  nerves  and  muscles 
remained  normal,  as  was  shown  by 
stimulation  with  electricity.  The 
urine,  which  was  drawn  from  the 
bladder,  contained  no  zinc. 

THE  STRYCHNINE  OLEATE  (two 
drachms,  containing  two  and  a  half 


50  THE   OLEATES. 

grains  of  strychnia)  was  rubbed  along 
the  groin  and  inner  surface  of  the 
thigh  for  five  minutes,  no  effect  had 
been  observed  during  forty-eight  hours 
after  thoroughly  applying  the  oleate 
to  the  abdominal  walls. 

THE  ACONITINE  OLEATE  was  applied 
in  a  similar  manner.  Two  drachms, 
containing  two  and  a  half  grains  of 
aconitirie,  were  rubbed  along  the  groin 
and  inner  surface  of  the  thigh  for  five 
minutes.  At  the  end  of  twenty-four 
hours  no  effect  had  been  observed. 
The  animal  was  in  a  normal  condition. 

It  thus  appears  from  the  foregoing 
experiments  that  the  supposition  the 
oleates  were  directly  absorbed  and 
taken  up  by  the  lymphatics  and  con- 
veyed into  the  blood  is  entirely  errone- 
ous;  on  the  contrary  they  prove  that 
the  oleates  at  no  time  can  penetrate 
deeper  than  the  epidermis  and  its  con- 


PHYSIOLOGICAL   ACTION.  51 

tinuation  into  the  glands  and  follicles. 
Herein  consists,  in  fact,  the  advantage 
that  oleates  have  over  ordinary  oint- 
ments :  that  they  can  enter  into  the 
minute  openings  of  the  glands  and 
follicles,  on  account  of  being  dissolved 
in  the  fatty  base  and  vehicle ;  whereas, 
in  the  ordinary  ointments,  no  matter 
how  minutely  subdivided,  the  medi- 
cating agents  would  be  prevented 
from  acting  in  this  way,  the  fatty 
vehicle  alone  being  filtered  off  and 
entering.  All  the  suppositions  and 
hypotheses^  setting  forth  how  the 
oleates  were  absorbed  and  enter  into 
the  blood  at  once,  are  fallacious,  and 
have  not  been  confirmed  by  practical 
results,  the  most  powerful  of  them 
scarcely  showing  any  of  their  physio- 
logical effects.  By  what  physiological 
process  or  manner  the  advocates  of 
such  theories  would  demonstrate  their 


52  THE   OLEATES. 

assertions  is  to  me  unaccountable,* 
thus/ when  a  prominent  writer  claims 
that  on  brushing  oleic  acid  or  oleates 
lightly  over  the  epidermic  surface  it 
disappears  with  an  astonishing  rapid- 
ity, equalling  that  of  some  evaporant, 
I  can  only  account  for  it  by  sup- 
posing he  is  endowed  with  extra- 
ordinary powers  of  observation,  or 
has  made  his  statements  without  ob- 
servation and  on  the  most  favorable 
basis  of  his  own  expectations.  While 
there  is  plenty  of  room  and  use  for 
the  oleates,  the  worst  that  can  be  done 
by  their  friends  or  advocates  is  to  claim 
for  them  what  they  do  not  nor  cannot 
possess.  The  principal  advantage  of 
the  oleates  is  their  solubility  in  the 
fatty  vehicles  by  which  they  are  en- 
abled to  penetrate,  not  through  the 
skin  and  the  walls  of  the  vessels,  as 
might  be  inferred  from  the  writings  of 


PHYSIOLOGICAL   ACTION.  53 

some  authors,  but  into  the  natural 
openings  of  the  skin,  the  glands  and 
follicles  ;  there  they  may,  by  osmosis, 
be  interchanged  with  some  of  the  sys- 
temic fluids  and  be  absorbed  to  a  cer- 
tain extent,  but  physiological  experi- 
ments seem  to  make  even  this  un- 
likely. The  only  instance  in  which 
this  might  be  the  case  is  with  the 
mercurous  oleate,  which  is  so  loosely 
attached  to  its  fatty  radical  as  to 
easily  give  it  up  in  exchange  for  other 
acids,  forming  salts  with  them,  which 
are  more  readily  absorbed  and  assimi- 
lated, producing  then  the  character- 
istic effects  and  symptoms  of  the  drug. 
Mercuric  oleate,  on  the  contrary,  while 
easily,  by  its  own  constitution,  de- 
composes into  mercurous  oleate,  will 
not  in  itself  so  readily  exchange  its 
acid  radical  for  another  of  the  sudo- 
rific excretion.  That  oxide  of  zinc  is 
5* 


54  THE   OLEATES. 

not  carried  into  the  follicle  is  quite  as 
well  understood  as  that  white  or  red 
precipitate  should  or  could  not  do  so. 
Take  the  ointment  of  either  of  these 
precipitates  and  melt  it,  and  then 
place  it  on  filtering  paper,  and  you  will 
readily  see  the  unguent  base  perme- 
ating the  porous  tissue,  while  the  sus- 
pended substance  is  retained  on  its 
folds.  Dissolve  an  oleate  in  any  of 
the  fatty  vehicles,  and  you  will  find 
that  it  passes  through  the  porous  sub- 
stance undecomposed  and  in  its  en- 
tirety, and  is  thus  able  to  act  on  the 
follicle  and  gland,  both  by  its  action 
on  the  near-lying  cutis,  as  well  as  by 
the  possibility  of  an  osmotic  process. 
In  this,  and  in  this  alone,  consists  the 
advantage  of  the  oleates,  and  a  mate- 
rial advantage  it  is.  Thus,  while  the 
ointments  of  white  and  red  precipitate 
will  destroy  the  conidia  and  mycel- 


PHYSIOLOGICAL  ACTION.  55 

Hum  of  superficial  fungi  in  tricophy- 
tosis,  chromophytosis,  etc.,  the  mer- 
cury and  copper  oleates  alone  can  dip 
into  the  follicles,  and  there  exert  a 
like  destructive  action.  It  might  be 
said  that  if  their  principal  value  con- 
sisted in  their  solubility  that  as  much 
could  be  accomplished  by  watery  so- 
lutions applied  to  the  surface;  but 
such  is  not  the  case.  Water  or  aque- 
ous solutions  have  a  tendency  to  swell 
up  the  epiderm,  and  by  doing  so  com- 
pletely occlude  the  orifices  of  glands 
and  follicles,  while  fats  or  oils,  and 
fatty  acids.,  as  well  as  their  derivatives, 
exert  the  opposite  effect,  and  are,  for 
that  reason,  enabled  to  enter  into  those 
structures. 


IV. 

THEKAPEUTIC  EFFECT  OF  THE  OLEATES. 

BEFORE  entering  in  detail  on  the 
medicinal  action  of  the  individual 
oleates,  I  would  dwell  on  the  proper 
method  of  preparing  them  for  use. 
There  has  been  some  misconception  as 
to  their  nature,  from  the  fact  that  one 
or  two  of  them  can  be  used  to  great 
advantage  in  their  pulverulent  state, 
owing  to  their  mechanical  action,  be- 
sides the  chemical  influence  they  ex- 
ercise, not  on  the  unbroken  surface, 
but  on  denuded  and  pathologically 
affected  skin.  Thus  we  find  that  the 
zinc  oleate,  in  its  powdered  state,  is 
a  very  excellent  agent  on  account  of 
its  property  to  relieve  friction,  and,  at 
the  same  time,  contracting  the  con- 
gested and  tumefied  integument. 
(56) 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  57 

Again,  we  see  in  the  application  of 
the  powdered  silver  oleate,  to  denuded 
and  ulcerating  surfaces,  a  most  useful 
measure  to  coagulate  the  albumen  lo- 
cally, and  forming  a  protective  cover- 
ing over  these  surfaces.  In  an  at- 
tempt, however,  to  extend  the  use  of 
powders  to  the  other  oleates,  we  simply 
lose  sight  of  the  one  great  advantage 
that  is  of  such  importance  with  this 
class  of  preparations — their  solubility 
in  vehicles  that  can  penetrate  into 
the  depression  of  the  epidermic  cover- 
ing. That  some  of  the  oleates  occur 
in  powder  form,  and  some  as  plasters, 
and  others  as  ointments,  is  part  of 
their  physical  condition,  which  the 
chemist,  by  admixtures,  should  not  try 
to  pervert.  Their  principal  use  must 
always  be  as  ointments,  and  it  is, 
therefore,  that  I  would  speak  here  of 
them  and  their  proper  preparations. 


58  THE   OLEATES. 

While  I  omit  now  the  proportions  to 
be  used — to  which  I  will  refer  under 
their  respective  headings — I  can  say, 
that,  as  a  general  rule,  the  ointments 
should  be  made  by  melting  the  oleates 
with  the  fatty  substance  intended  for 
their  bases  at  as  low  a  temperature  as 
possible  to  effect  solution,  which  is,  as 
a  rule,  best  accomplished  by  a  water 
bath,  in.  which  the  vehicle  is  first 
melted,  and  then  the  oleate  intro- 
duced and  stirred  therewith  until  com- 
pletely dissolved.  This  is  done  with- 
out much  trouble  and  difficulty  by  any 
one,  either  physician  or  chemist,  and 
holds  good  for  all  save  the  ointment  of 
the  silver  oleate,  and  for  its  prepara- 
tion more  specific  directions  will  be 
given  hereafter.  The  fatty  vehicles 
intended  for  ointment  bases  are  a 
matter  of  choice,  according  to  the  in- 
dications of  the  case.  While  no  doubt 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT  59 

the  most  elegant  preparations  can  be 
made  with  the  petroleum  fats  as  bases, 
they  form,  in  my  opinion,  and  in  that 
of    others,    the    least    desirable    sub- 
stances for  such  use.*    I  stated  in  my 
paper  read  before  the  Medical  Society 
of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  (loc.  cit.), 
that  I  considered  the  petroleum  pro- 
ducts   as    objectionable    for    such    a 
purpose,  and  recently  Dr.  Robson,  of 
England,  has  made  a  similar  observa- 
tion in  the  use  of  vaseline  as  a  surgical 
dressing.      I   also    consider    them    to 
possess  a  feebler  power,  if  any  at  all, 
to  penetrate  than  animal  fats,  which 
have  more  affinity  for  the  integument. 
They  always  contain   some  stimulant 
constituent  left  after  their  manufac- 
ture, which  prevents  them  from  having 

*  See  an  article  on  the  "Irritation  of  the  Skin  follow- 
ing the  Application  of  Vaseline,"  in  the  London  Lancet 
of  November  8,  1 884. 


60  THE   OLEATES. 

an  emollient  action ;  a  great  source  of 
hindrance  to  their  use  as  external 
remedies  if  you  desire  to  soothe  and 
allay  active  inflammation.  Irritant 
ointments  of  veratrine  and  other  like 
substances,  which  I  had  made  respec- 
tively of  paraffinates  and  simple  oint- 
ments, proved,  in  the  former,  almost 
inert,  while  the  activity  of  that  made 
with  simple  ointment  very  soon  be- 
came evident.  Dr.  J.  G.  Kiernan,  of 
Chicago,  who  repeated  my  experiments 
with  the  petroleum  products  (as  have 
also  several  others),  both  upon  him- 
self and  the  lower  animals,  arrived  at 
the  same  conclusion.  I  am  also  con- 
firmed in  my  opinion  by  Dr.  Herman 
Hager,  who,  in  his  celebrated  work 
on  Pharmaceutical  Practice,  states  that 
the  use  of  vaseline  (or  cosmoline,  or 
whatever  their  pseudonyms  may  be) 
in  place  of  lard,  or  an  ointment  in 


THEKAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  61 

such  mixtures  which  contain  a  reme- 
dial agent  intended  for  absorption  by 
the  skin,  should  be  discouraged,  as 
vaseline  (cosmoline,  etc.)  prevents  ab- 
sorption. 

Although  this  has  been  disputed  by 
some,  who,  however,  constitute  no 
medical  authority,  having  a  com- 
mercial interest  only  in  the  sale  of 
their  goods,  and  for  pharmaceutical 
reasons  lay  more  stress  on  their  hand- 
some appearance  than  on  their  utility, 
I  think  this  matter  should  rest  with 
the  physician  to  decide  rather  than  to 
the  biased  vendor. 

All  of  the  oleates,  if  desired  in  a  very 
concentrated  form,  can  be  rendered 
thin  and  pliable  by  the  addition  of  a 
small  quantity  of  oleic  acid,  which, 
if  warmed  and  melted  with  them, 
readily  renders  their  consistence  fit 
for  the  purpose  of  inunction.  As  a 

6 


62  THE   OLEATES. 

diluent,  when  either  the  oleate  itself  or 
its  oleic  dilution  would  make  them  too 
powerful,  I  know  of  nothing  better 
than  good  fresh  lard  or  lard  oint- 
ments; under  no  circumstances,  how- 
ever, should  ointments  of  the  oleates 
be  prepared  by  simply  rubbing  them 
up  with  the  diluent,  nor  should  any  of 
them  be  accepted  by  the  physician 
which  are  not  perfectly  homogeneous. 
The  advantages  of  these  ointments 
may  be  set  forth  as  being  economical, 
as  they  need  only  be  used  in  small 
quantities,  and  if  properly  applied  and 
well  rubbed  into  the  dry  skin,  there 
will  be  very  little  adherent  to  the  sur- 
face that  can  be  rubbed  off  or  soil  the 
clothing — a  very  desirable  property 
If,  however,  they  are  used,  as  was 
evidently  done  by  some,  who  raised 
objections  to  them  on  that  point,  by 
daubing  them  on  in  large  quantities, 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  63 

on  the  principle  that  if  a  little  does 
well  more  will  do  better,  they  may 
fail  to  accomplish  the  purposes  they 
are  intended  for,  and  will  simply 
exert  their  influence  on  the  patient's 
clothing  alone.  They  evidently  forget 
the  anatomy  of  the  integument,  and 
imagine  the  minute  glands  and  fol- 
licles to  possess  the  capacity  of  much 
larger  organs.  Where  for  reasons  of 
contact  and  surface  action  the  oint- 
ment has  to  be  applied  copiously,  as 
in  the  instance  of  the  iron  oleate 
ointment  to  arsenical  ulcers,  the  oint- 
ment has  to  be  secured  by  protective 
measures,  both  to  prevent  soiling  the 
clothing  as  well  as  to  insure  its  con- 
tinued action  on  the  parts  affected. 

To  proceed  to  the  consideration  of 
the  individual  oleates,  their  remedial 
action  and  indication  for  use,  I  will 
take  up  first  the — 


64          THE  OLEATES. 

ACONITINE  OLEATE. 

Aconitine  oleate  has  been  lauded  for 
its  rapid  constitutional  effect,  which 
the  writer  has  failed  to  observe  even 
after  a  number  of  careful  experiments 
pursued  for  years.  It  has  a  slight 
local  action,  but  the  effect  is  however 
very  feeble ;  it  can  be  used  in  mild 
cases  of  neuralgia  owing  to  its  weak 
anaesthetic  impression. 

ATKOPINE   OLEATE. 

Atropine  oleate  has  a  mild  action 
upon  the  integument,  the  toxic  effect 
of  the  drug  being  almost  impossible, 
except  it  be  applied  freely  over  a  large 
surface. 

ALUMINIUM   OLEATE. 

Aluminium  oleate,  melted  with  an 
equal  proportion  of  lard  and  some 
fatty  substance,  represents  the  oint- 
ment of  aluminium  oleate. 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  65 

The  aluminium  oleate  ointment  co- 
agulates the  albumen  of  the  parts  to 
which  it  is  applied,  constringes  the 
vessels,  checks  and  corrects  all  se- 
cretion, and  has  marked  styptic  as 
well  as  antiseptic  action.  It  has  a 
decided  astringent  effect,  and  is 
very  serviceable  in  checking  muco- 
purulent  discharges  that  occur  in 
dermatitis  and  in  eczema.  It  can 
be  applied  with  advantage  over  the 
flexor  surfaces,  and  upon  those  parts 
that  have  an  excessive  discharge  from 
friction  or  apposition  of  two  por- 
tions of  integument.  It  is  also  well 
adapted  to  cases  in  which  the  axilla, 
groin,  and  buttocks  of  infants  and 
children  become  involved;  its  appli- 
cation often  rapidly  checking  the 
profuse  secretion,  and  restoring  the 
integument  to  a  normal  condition. 
In  hyperidrosis  it  lessens  and  fre- 


66  THE   OLEATES. 

quently  removes  the  excessive  secre- 
tion, while  in  bromidrosis  the  fetid 
discharge  will  either  be  entirely  over- 
come by  its  use,  or  very  much  di- 
minished in  its  activity.  It  is  both 
beneficial  and  useful  employed  as  a 
dressing  to  foul  ulcers,  abscesses,  sin- 
uses, chilblains,  and  burns. 

ARSENICUM   OLEATE. 

Arsenicum  oleate,  melted  in  the  pro- 
portion of  one  part  to  nine  parts  of 
lard  as  an  unguent  base,  or  one  part 
in  four,  according  to  the  strength  de- 
sired, forms  the  ointment  of  arsenic 
oleate. 

It  is  both  a  valuable  alterative  and 
escharotic,  but  should  always  be  used 
with  caution.  Applied  to  the  skin  in 
the  natural  state,  little  or  no  change  is 
produced,  but  when  used  moderately 
strong  on  abrasions,  wounds,  and 


THEEAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  67 

ulcerating  and  granulating  surfaces, 
it  acts  as  an  escharotic,  exciting  ac- 
tive inflammation  and  destroying 
the  tissue  to  some  depth.  On  the 
other  hand,  it  will  have  a  most  excel- 
lent alterative  impression  on  the  in- 
tegument in  the  form  of  a  very  weak 
ointment.  In  ulcerating  epithelioma 
it  is  one  of  the  very  best  remedies,  by 
reason  of  its  being  better  borne  for  a 
longer  period  in  its  application  than 
any  other  form  of  arsenic.  In  lupus 
it  is  especially  serviceable,  destroying, 
by  its  constant  use,  cell  infiltration 
in  a  comparatively  mild  and  pain- 
less manner.  In  the  erythematous 
and  tubercular  forms  of  lupus,  the 
parts,  however,  should  be  thoroughly 
scraped,  in  order  to  bring  the  oleate  in 
contact  with  the  abraded  surface.  In 
old  ulcers,  especially  those  of  a  scrofu- 
lous nature,  the  arsenic  oleate  oint- 


68  THE   OLEATES. 

ment  is  of  great  utility.  It  is,  like- 
wise, of  value  as  an  alterative,  in 
the  form  of  a  weak  ointment,  either 
alone  or  combined  with  other  remedies, 
in  chronic  sycosis,  seborrhoea,  and  in 
some  of  the  chronic  varieties  of  ec- 
zema. It  can  be  employed,  after  scrap- 
ing or  puncturing  the  surface,  to  de- 
stroy warts,  corns,  horns,  condylomata, 
old  granulations*  and  naevi.  It  can  also 
be  combined  with  such  preparations 
as  opium,  belladonna,  hyoscyamus,  ar- 
nica, arrowroot,  naphthol,  etc.,  either 
to  lessen  its  activity  or  enhance  its 
effect  by  the  additional  impression  of 
one  or  more  of  these  remedies. 

BISMUTH   OLEATE. 

The  ointment  of  bismuth  oleate,  a 
pearl-gray,  soft,  bland  substance,  pos- 
sesses an  emollient  and  slightly  astrin- 
gent action,  and  is  useful  in  soothing 
and  relieving  cutaneous  irritation.  It 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  69 

is  a  valuable  remedy  in  all  pustular 
eruptions,  lightly  pencilled  over  the 
surface.  In  sycosis  it  relieves  the 
engorgement  of  the  parts,  often  aborts 
the  pustules,  and  will  lessen  or  re- 
move the  distressing  itching  and 
pricking  that  is  so  wearing  to  the 
patient,  It  allays  and  often  over- 
comes the  high  inflammation  in  ery- 
sipelas and  sunburn.  In  acne  and 
rosacea  it  soothes  the  hypersemic 
skin,  relieves  the  engorgement  of  the 
glands,  frequently  subduing  some  of 
the  most  intractable  cases,  and  conse- 
quently giving  ease  and  comfort  where 
prolonged  suffering  formerly  existed. 
In  some  of  the  more  obstinate  forms 
of  acne  and  rosacea,  however,  I  al- 
ways deplete  the  parts  thoroughly, 
first  by  puncturing  them  with  a 
needle  knife,  and  afterwards  pencil- 
ling the  surface  with  the  ointment. 


70  THE   OLEATES. 

This  oleate  is  not  only  an  impor- 
tant, but  also  a  useful  remedy  in  the 
treatment  of  the  different  varieties  of 
acute  eczema,  soothing  and  arresting 
rapidly  the  irritated  integument.  It 
is  generally  an  effective  agent  for 
cracked  and  sore  nipples,  used  either 
alone  or  in  combination  with  opium 
and  belladonna  and  arnica,  the  dry 
and  excoriated  condition  of  the  parts 
yielding  on  its  application. 

CADMIUM   OLEATE. 

The  ointment  of  cadmium  oleate 
has  had  as  yet  but  little  practical 
use.  It  is  a  very  strong  stimulant, 
having  an  almost  caustic  action  upon 
the  denuded  integument,  resembling 
in  this  respect  very  much  the  action 
of  the  ointment  of  nickel  oleate.  It 
has  been  used  with  some  advantage  in 
enlarged  glands,  especially  in  scrofu- 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  71 

lous  subjects,  stimulating  to  renewed 
activity  the  dormant  absorbents,  and 
thus  removing  the  abnormal  condition 
from  the  tissue.  It  has  also  been  ser- 
viceable at  times  in  cases  of  chronic 
eczema  with  great  infiltration,  exube- 
rant granulations  and  old  ulcers. 

COCAINE   OLEATE. 

Cocaine  oleate*  (6  per  cent,  alka- 
loid) has  a  slight  anaesthetic  action 
upon  the  integument.  The  decided 
effect,  however,  that  has  been  claimed 
by  some  on  its  application  to  the 
skin  has  not  been  observed  in  my 
experience,  even  after  repeated  ex- 
periments with  it  in  operations  on 
warts,  corns,  horns,  cancer,  lupus, 
and  the  removal  of  superfluous  hairs. 
Squibbt  states,  in  a  recent  article,  that 

*  Prepared  by  W.  T.  Baker  &  Co.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
f  An  Ephemeris  of  Materia  Medica,  etc.,  January,  1885. 


72  THE   OLEATES. 

when  applied  to  the  skin  it  should 
be  somewhat  effective.  On  the  con- 
trary, I  have  found,  by  clinical  expe- 
rience, that  its  action  is  so  weak  as 
to  make  it  of  little  practical  value. 
Again,  the  present  price  is  so  great 
— about  two  dollars  a  drachm — as  to 
limit  its  use  in  general  practice,  and 
when  employed  it  is  even  then  too 
costly  an  application,  except  on  small 
portions  of  the  skin.  It  has  been 
recommended  in  mild  cases  of  neu- 
ralgia, local  spots  of  eczema,  and  in 
painful  ulcers.  Keys*  reports  that 
he  has  relieved  with  it,  temporarily, 
mild  anal  pruritus.  Jacksont  also  re- 
lates that  by  its  application  the  pain 
under  the  operation  for  the  removal  of 
superfluous  hairs  is  somewhat  lessened. 

*  Journal  of  Cutaneous  and  Venereal  Diseases,  Jan- 
uary, 1885. 
f  Loc.  cit. 


THEKAPEUTIC  EFFECT.       73 


COPPER  OLEATE. 

Copper  oleate,  melted  with  either 
four  or  nine  parts  of  fat  or  lard,  gives 
respectively  a  twenty  or  ten  per  cent, 
of  the  ointment  of  copper  oleate.  Ap- 
plied in  this  form  to  the  unbroken 
skin  it  has  no  visible  effect  on  the 
surface,  but  penetrates  deeply  into 
the  follicles,  causing  slight  stimula- 
tion. If  brought  in  contact  with  the 
broken  skin  it  has  both  an  astringent 
and  stimulating  effect,  and  an  insolu- 
ble albuminate  is  formed  which  coats 
over  the  surface,  thus  supplying  the 
place  of  the  abraded  skin.  It  con- 
denses the  tissues,  constringes  the 
bloodvessels,  and  thus  lessens  the  de- 
termination of  blood  to  the  part.  It 
acts  as  an  irritant  to  any  delicate  sur- 
face, causing  inflammation  and  pain. 
It  is  a  most  effective  application  to 


74  THE   OLEATES. 

arrest  bleeding,  particularly  in  irrita- 
ble sores  and  indolent  ulcers ;  obstinate 
granulations  will  often  yield  to  the 
ointment  of  the  copper  oleate  after 
resisting  the  usual  applications.  It 
is  a  most  excellent  antiseptic,  as  well 
as  an  antiparasitic  agent.  The  most 
successful  results,  however,  have  fol- 
lowed its  use  upon  vegetable  parasitic 
affections,  both  in  my  own  experience, 
and  in  that  of  Sawyer  and  Startin,* 
of  England.  The  last-named  observer 
has  recently  writtent  as  follows  con- 
cerning the  copper  oleate:  "I  have 
been  using  the  drug  for  two  years, 
and  am  so  satisfied  with  its  results 
that  I  recommended  it  to  my  col- 
leagues, who  also  expressed  their  satis- 

*  See  an  interesting  paper  on  "  Oleate  of  Copper  in 
Ringworm,"  by  James  Startin,  Surgeon,  of  England, 
read  before  the  Willian  Society,  December,  1884. 

\Brit.  Med.  Jour.,  Jan.  10,  1885. 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  75 

faction  on  trying  it.  An  impure  oleate 
will  irritate  the  skin,  but  the  oleate 
now  made  by  a  process  of  double  de- 
composition is  perfectly  pure  and  in 
my  opinion  a  very  reliable  application 
in  ringworm.  I  have  never  had  com- 
plaints, either  by  hospital  or  private 
patients,  from  its  use,  and  I  have  used 
it  to  some  hundreds.'7  In  America, 
Fricke,  Blackwood,  Snowden,  O'Hara, 
Fenton,  McClellan,  Prall,  Herr,  Weir, 
Rosenthal,  Means,  and  many  others 
have  also  reported  very  effective  re- 
sults from  its  use  in  their  practice. 
My  attention  was  directed  to  the  cura- 
tive action  of  the  ointment  of  copper 
oleate  in  parasitic  affections,  by  the 
remarks  of  some  of  my  patients ;  and  I 
believe  I  was  the  first  to  recommend 
it  for  its  antiparasitic  effects  in  a 
paper  read  before  the  Pennsylvania 
State  Medical  Society,  already  re- 


76  THE   OLEATES. 

f erred  to,  and  from  which  I  quote : — 
"For  several  years  I  have  had  pa- 
tients tell  me,  at  the  hospital  and  in 
my  private  practice,  that  they  cured 
this  or  that  member  of  their  family  of 
ringworm  by  putting  an  old  copper 
penny  in  vinegar  and  applying  the 
liquid  to  the  patches.  Some,  however, 
resisted  the  treatment,  and  members 
of  the  latter  class  were  brought  to 
me  with  the  statement  that  other 
children  had  been  cured  by  putting  a 
copper  penny  in  vinegar  and  applying 
the  infusion,  how  was  it  that  it  did 
not  in  this  particular  case  do  any 
good!  After  due  thought  it  occurred 
to  me  that  this  coppery  liquid  might 
destroy  the  fungus  on  the  surface,  but 
if  the  parasite  after  a  time  passed  into 
the  follicles  at  its  lowest  depth  and 
invaded  the  hair  bulbs,  it  could  not 
affect  it  in  any  way ;  and,  also,  if  the 


THEKAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  77 

copper  solution  had  the  power  to  kill 
the  parasite  on  the  surface,  why  could 
it  not  do  the  same  within  the  follicles, 
providing  it  could  be  carried  there  ! 
Acting  upon  this  idea,  and  remember- 
ing the  great  penetrating  action  of 
oleic  acid,  I  had  it  combined  with  cop- 
per and  mixed  with  a  fatty  base.  The 
ointment  thus  prepared  I  applied  to 
an  inveterate  and  extensive  case  of 
ringworm  on  the  scalp  of  a  child  that 
had  been  treated  with  numerous  reme- 
dies without  benefit,  and  in  the  period 
of  six  weeks  the  patient  was  com- 
pletely cured.  Other  cases,  both  of 
ringworm  on  the  scalp  and  body, 
were  afterwards  treated  likewise  with 
equally  good  results." 

In  tinea  versicolor,  or  chromophyto- 
sis,  it  acts  in  a  most  decided  manner, 
rapidly  removing  the  parasite  from 
the  surface,  as  also  the  one  which 


78  THE   OLEATES. 

penetrates  deep  into  the  follicles.  The 
red,  yellowish,  and  often  dark-brown 
desquamating  spots  will  clear  up, 
generally  quicker  and  better  from 
the  applications  of  the  ointment  of 
copper  oleate  than  by  the  use  of 
any  other  remedy.  It  is  equally  ef- 
fective in  favus,  which  yields  quickly 
to  its  application.  In  all  vegetable 
parasitic  affections  to  which  it  is  ap- 
plied, care  should  be  taken  to  avoid 
the  too  frequent  use  of  water  to  the 
parts,  which  may  prevent  the  copper 
oleate  from  penetrating  to  the  lowest 
depth  of  the  follicle,  and  thus  inter- 
fere with  its  action  on  the  fungus.  In 
fact,  I  always,  at  the  present  time, 
continue  the  application  of  the  oleate 
alone,  until  all  evidence  of  the  fungus 
has  disappeared,  interdicting  water 
entirely  during  the  treatment,  which, 
I  believe,  assists  in  nourishing  the 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  79 

parasite,  thus  making  it  more  active. 
In  case  it  becomes  necessary  to  clean 
the  parts,  the  use  of  oleic  acid,  alco- 
hol, or  ether  will  fully  accomplish  the 
purpose. 

In  using  the  ointment  of  copper 
oleate  in  parasitic  affections  it  is  not 
required  to  epilate  or  pluck  out 
the  diseased  hairs,  as  the  deep  and 
effective  action  of  the  remedy  will 
alone  complete  a  cure,  without  fol- 
lowing the  old  routine  plan,  which  I 
have  for  some  time  abandoned  as  pain- 
ful and  unnecessary.  Copper  oleate, 
melted  and  spread  as  plaster,  will  re- 
lieve, and  very  often  cure,  hard  and 
horny  warts,  corns,  bunions,  and  thick- 
ened conditions  of  the  epidermis  to 
which  it  is  applied.  The  ointment  of 
copper  oleate  is  a  useful  remedy  for 
freckles,  and  other  yellowish-brown  or 
blackish  patches  of  the  skin.  The  ob- 


80  THE   OLEATES. 

jection  to  its  use  by  a  physician,  in 
a  communication  to  the  Journal  of 
Cutaneous  and  Venereal  Diseases,  and 
my  reply  to  it  I  append : — 

[From  the  Journal  of  Cutaneous  and  Yenereal 
Diseases,  September,  1883.] 

ATLANTA,  GA.,  July  19,  1883. 
Editors  Journal  of  Cutaneous  and  Venereal 

Diseases  : 

GENTLEMEN  : — I  had  occasion  to  use  the 
remedy  recommended  by  Shoemaker,  of 
Philadelphia,  for  the  removal  of  freckles, 
quoted  in  your  April  number,  upon  two 
patients,  and  each  time,  about  a  week 
after  the  beginning  of  treatment,  was 
rewarded  by  a  beautiful  crop  of  furimcu- 
losis,  but  the  freckles  were  not  at  all  in- 
fluenced by  its  use.  The  remedy  was  pre- 
pared agreeably  to  the  formula  by  him  laid 
down,  but  the  above  have  been  my  results. 
Have  you  had  any  such  experience? 
Yours, 

E.  BORCHEIM. 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  81 

[From  the  Journal  of  Cutaneous  and  Venereal 
Diseases,  November,  1883.] 

To  the  Editors  of  the  Journal  of  Cutaneous 

and  Venereal  Diseases: 

GENTLEMEN  : — In  reply  to  the  recent  letter 
of  Dr.  Borcheim,  I  would  state  that  the 
oleate  of  copper  ointment,  like  all  other 
remedies,  is  not  infallible,  and,  while  in  many 
cases  it  has  served  me  well  in  removing 
freckles,  in  some  it  has  failed.  As  I  have 
found  the  oleate  of  copper  ointment  not 
always  certain  in  its  action  on  freckles,  I 
have  never  laid  great  stress  upon  it  as  a 
remedy  for  removing  them,  omitting  this  effect 
entirely  in  writing  my  paper  on  the  oleates 
in  skin  diseases,  and  only  suggested  it  in 
an  incidental  manner  in  reply  to  a  query 
made  as  to  a  remedy  for  freckles,  by  a 
reader  of  The  Medical  Bulletin.  The  unfor- 
tunate results  that  followed  the  use  of  the 
oleate  of  copper  ointment  in  Dr.  Borcheim 's 
practice  may  have  been-  due  either  to  a  pre- 
disposition in  those  persons  to  furuncles,- 
in  which  event  almost  any  stimulating  ap- 


82  THE   OLEATES. 

plication  would  have  brought  about  the 
same  result ;  or  the  oleate  of  copper,  as  I 
will  show  further  on,  may  not  have  been 
properly  prepared.  I  am  inclined  to  the 
latter  view,  as  no  furuncles  either  in  my 
own,  or  in  the  hands  of  others  who  have 
largely  used  the  ointment  of  the  oleate  of 
copper,  have  ever  followed.  To  ascertain 
this  I  addressed  a  brief  note  to  a  number 
of  physicians,  who,  to  my  knowledge,  had 
used  it  in  their  practice,  asking  them  for 
their  results  with  the  oleate  of  copper  oint- 
ment, and  of  any  untoward  effects  or  fur- 
uncular  eruptions  following  its  use.  I  give 
a  few  of  the  replies,  received  in  brief,  as  fol- 
lows, withholding  a  number  to  the  same 
effect,  not  one  confirming  Dr.  Borcheim's 
experience.* 

*  Dr.  Shoemaker  incloses  copies  of  letters  from 
Drs.  O'Hara,  Blackwood,  Snowden,  Fricke,  Fenton, 
McClellan,  Pral],  Herr,  Weir,  and  Rosenthal.  These 
letters  are  to  the  effect  that  the  writers  have  used  the 
oleate  of  copper  ointment  with  benefit  in  freckles  and 
other  affections,  and  without  the  production  of  furuncles 
or  any  other  untoward  effects. — EDITOR. 


THEKAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  83 

To  show  in  which  way  the  oleate  of  cop- 
per, as  well  as  all  the  oleates,  may  be  ren- 
dered not  alone  unserviceable,  but  abso- 
lutely injurious,  I  would  say,  that  when  I 
stated  in  my  article  on  the  oleates  that  they 
should  be  made  by  the  decomposition  of 
sodium  oleate  with  a  solution  of  the  salt  of 
the  desired  base,  I  understood,  of  course, 
that  the  sodium  oleate  should  be  made  of  a 
good  oleic  acid.  The  United  States  Phar- 
macopoeia, in  its  last  edition,  has  adopted 
oleic  acid  amongst  its  official  articles,  and 
the  description  of  it  applies  to  an  oleic  acid 
which  can  safely  be  used  for  making  the 
oleates  such  as  I  proposed.  The  oleic  acid 
generally  in  the  market,  and  on  account  of 
its  low  price  kept  by  most  druggists,  and 
offered  by  some  of  our  manufacturing  chem- 
ists, more  or  less  purified,  is  nothing  more 
than  the  red  oil  of  the  candle-makers,  a 
very  impure  oleic  acid,  containing  admix- 
tures and  contaminations  which  can  only 
be  removed  by  a  teiious  process,  more  so 
and  at  greater  expense  than  the  direct  pro- 


84  THE   OLEATES. 

cess  of  making  a  good  and  sufficiently  pure 
oleic  acid,  answering  the  test  of  the  United 
States  Pharmacopoeia,  from  the  oil  of  sweet 
almonds.  The  oleic  acid  obtained  as  a  by 
product  in  the  candle  manufacture,  contains 
considerable  stearic  acid,  its  least  objec- 
tionable admixture,  but  one  which  renders 
oleates  made  from  it  less  diffusible.  It 
contains,  besides,  in  consequence  of  being 
overheated  in  the  process  of  its  manufac- 
ture, various  volatile  acids,  hydrocarbons, 
sebacic  acid,  and,  above  all,  oxy oleic  acid, 
which  is  well  known  by  giving  fats  their 
rancid  odor  and  character  when  formed 
therein.  Pure  oleic  acid  even  absorbs  some 
oxygen  from  the  atmosphere  under  ordi- 
nary circumstances,  forming  oxy  oleic  acid, 
but  when  heated  does  so  in  a  very  large 
degree.  The  red  oil,  or  oleic  acid  of  com- 
merce, in  being  separated  from  its  glycerine 
base,  is  exposed  to  a  high  heat,  and  is  thus 
changed  largely  into  oxy  oleic  acid,  with  all 
its  characteristic  irritant  properties  and 
odor. 


THEKAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  85 

The  most  of  the  oleates  which  have  been 
shown  to  me  by  manufacturers  who  were 
desirous  of  making  them  according  to  the 
formula  given  in  my  paper,  had,  by  ap- 
pearance and  odor,  evidently  been  made 
with  the  common  oleic  acid,  and  were, 
besides,  not  even  properly  decomposed  or 
purified,  and  thus  well  calculated  to  do 
more  harm  than  good,  and  prove,  probably, 
irritative  and  productive  of  eruptions  and 
furuncles.  The  oleates  and  the  ointments 
thereof  used  by  me,  and  by  most,  if  not  all, 
the  physicians  who  kindly  gave  me  their 
notes,  were  from  the  laboratory  of  Dr.  L. 
Wolff,  of  this  city,  the  chemist  to  whom 
we  are  indebted  for  the  development  of 
this  class  of  oleates.  They  are  by  him  ob- 
tained either  by  the  decomposition  of  so- 
dium oleopalmitate,  freshly  prepared  from 
pure  oil  of  sweet  almonds,  as  oleopalmi- 
tates,  or  pure  oleates  from  sodium  oleate, 
made  of  pure  oleic  acid,  derived  from  fresh 
oil  of  sweet  almonds  and  freed  from  palmitic 
acid.  Such  an  oleic  acid  answers  the  de- 
8 


86  THE   OLEATES. 

scription  given  of  it  in  the  United  States 
Pharmacopoeia,  and  should  be  the  only  kind 
used.  We  feel  sure  that  no  unpleasant  ef- 
fects will  occur  with  such  oleates  if  prop- 
erly and  judiciously  used.  That  the  price 
of  the  oleates  is  slightly  advanced  by  making 
them  of  pure  material,  is  of  no  importance 
when  we  consider  the  small  quantity  that 
is  necessary  in  the  treatment  of  skin  and 
other  affections. 

Respectfully, 
JOHN  Y.  SHOEMAKER,  M.D., 

Philada. 

IKON  OLEATE. 

Iron  oleate  is  readily  soluble  in  fats. 
Experiments  with  this  oleate,  mixed 
with  the  various  fats  and  given  inter- 
nally, have  not  brought  about  any 
good  results.  The  use  of  the  oint- 
ment of  iron  oleate  by  the  inunction 
method  has  no  apparent  constitu- 
tional effect,  for  the  reasons  that  have 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  87 

already  been  cited  under  their  physi- 
ological action.  It  was  thought  by 
the  writer,  after  some  clinical  ex- 
periments, which  were  presented  in  a 
former  paper,  and  in  which  the  inunc- 
tion of  iron  oleate  appeared  to  be  of 
systemic  value  in  anaemic  and  scrofu- 
lous cases,  that  it  would  be  an  in- 
valuable remedy  for  those  diseases, 
but  subsequent  and  more  extended 
experience  has  shown  its  action  on 
the  system  to  be  of  no  value.  The  ac- 
tion of  iron  oleate,  like  all  the  other 
metals  and  alkaloids  of  the  oleates,  is 
mainly  upon  the  parts  to  which  it  is 
applied.  The  ointment  of  iron  oleate 
is  a  valuable  styptic  and  astringent. 
In  the  inflammatory  form  of  eczema, 
in  which  the  surface  has  become  de- 
nuded, red,  raw,  and  bleeding,  the 
application  of  a  weak  ointment  of 
iron  oleate,  or  the  oleate  itself  used 


88  THE   OLEATES. 

in  other  soothing  and  slightly  astrin- 
gent combinations  for  the  same  affec- 
tion will  prove  of  the  greatest  value, 
its  styptic  and  astringent  action 
having  the  most  happy  effect  upon 
the  parts.  It  has  a  marked  effect 
used  in  pustular  eczema,  sycosis,  fur- 
uncles, and  in  scrofulous  ulcers  and 
sinuses.  The  iron  oleate,  mixed  with 
oil  of  ergot  or  any  of  the  ordinary 
oils,  can  be  used  with  advantage  in 
dry  seborrhoea,  and  in  certain  forms 
of  alopecia  that  result  from  an  irri- 
table condition  of  the  glands  of  the 
parts.  The  first  and  second  stages 
of  acne  rosacea  are  vastly  benefited 
and  often  entirely  relieved  by  the 
application  of  a  weak  ointment  of 
iron  oleate.  The  lesions  that  result 
from  arsenical  poisoning,  especially 
the  pustules  and  ulcers,  are  more 
amenable  to  the  action  of  this  oint- 


THEEAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  89 

ment  than  any  other  remedy  that  I 
have  used  in  such  conditions.  A 
number  of  cases  of  arsenical  poison- 
ing have  come  under  my  observa- 
tion, particularly  in  workingmen  in 
several  large  chemical  establishments, 
and  in  all  cases  the  pustules  and 
deep  and  angry  ulcers  that  were  pre- 
sent, and  upon  which  other  remedies 
had  failed,  rapidly  yielded  to  its  ap- 
plication. 

LEAD   OLEATE. 

Lead  oleate,  melted  with  equal 
parts  of  lard  or  lard-oil,  or  a  mixture 
of  the  two  according  to  the  season, 
to  present  it  in  ointment  form,  gives 
a  cream-colored,  semi-solid  ointment 
of  the  consistence  of  simple  cerate. 
It  is  more  easily  and  cheaply  prepared 
than  either  Goulard's  cerate,  or  He- 
bra's  litharge  ointment,  or  any  of 

8* 


90  THE   OLEATES. 

the  later  modifications,  and  is  also 
more  readily  absorbed,  and  is  superior 
to  all  of  them. 

Unna,  and  many  other  physicians 
who  have  tested  the  action  of  the 
ointment  of  lead  oleate,  report  excel- 
lent results  from  its  use. 

The  ointment  of  lead  oleate,  when 
applied  to  the  denuded  skin,  has  both 
an  astringent  and  sedative  action, 
arresting  by  this  effect  morbid  dis- 
charges and  allaying  irritation.  It 
soothes  effectually  the  intense  irritation 
that  is  often  present  in  papular  eczema, 
and  in  those  forms  of  the  same  dis- 
ease that  appear  in  the  flexures  of 
the  joints,  around  the  axillae,  the 
inner  part  of  the  thighs  and  peri- 
neum. Pustular  eczema  of  young 
infants,  which  is  so  annoying  to  the 
little  sufferers,  is  often  benefited,  and 
the  inflammation,  discharge,  and 


THEEAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  91 

itching  entirely  checked  by  its  free 
application;  it  is  equally  beneficial 
in  fissured  eczema  of  the  palmar 
and  plantar  surfaces.  If  the  inflam- 
mation and  cracking,  however,  be 
severe  and  deep,  and  require  a  cer- 
tain amount  of  stimulation,  the  addi- 
tion of  naphthol,  oil  of  chamomile,  or 
oil  of  cade,  will  increase  very  much 
its  curative  action.  This  ointment  is 
a  useful  remedy  in  hard  and  indu- 
rated papules,  in  acne  of  the  face, 
neck,  and  back,  and  in  rosacea.  Thy- 
mol, carbolic  acid,  naphthol,  and  many 
other  stimulating  or  soothing  agents 
can  sometimes  with  advantage  be 
combined  with  it. 

MERCURIC   OLEATE. 

The  ointment  of  mercuric  oleate 
is  a  yellowish  chemical  combination 
having  a  fatty  smell,  and  is  of  an 


92  THE  OLEATES. 

unctuous  consistence.  It  has  a  stimu- 
lating, resolvent,  and  alterative  im- 
pression used  on  the  integument,  es- 
pecially upon  tumors,  glandular  en- 
largements, indurations,  and  thicken- 
ing of  the  skin.  In  some  of  the 
old  cases  of  eczema,  in  which  the 
skin  becomes  greatly  infiltrated,  the 
twofold  action  of  the  ointment  of 
mercuric  oleate  is  often  attended  with 
happy  effects.  It  is  an  acceptable, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  beneficial 
agent  in  obstinate  ulcers  and  indo- 
lent papules,  tubercles,  and  in  in- 
filtration that  often  is  attendant  upon 
or  follows  abscesses,  in  inflamma- 
tion of  the  hair  follicles  of  the  beard, 
and  scrofuloderma.  It  can  be  used 
with  success  in  the  excess  and  de- 
ficiency of  pigment,  that  occur  either 
as  a  disease,  from  applications,  or 
from  an  effect  of  disease.  It  is  a 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  93 

useful  remedy  in  both,  the  animal 
and  vegetable  parasitic  affections. 
In  animal  parasitic  disease,  especi- 
ally in  phtheiriasis,  or  lousiness,  the 
ointment  of  mercuric  oleate  has  alike 
the  effect  of  destroying  both  the  para- 
site and  nits,  which  are  not  always 
reached  by  other  mercurial  prepara- 
tions. In  all  varieties  of  vegetable 
parasites,  it  is  not  only  effective  on 
the  surface,  but  possesses  the  power 
of  penetrating  into  the  hairs,  the  fol- 
licles, and  sebaceous  glands,  and  thus 
killing  the  fungus  that  has  pushed 
into  these  parts. 

The  advantages  of  the  ointment  of 
mercuric  oleate  over  the  old  mercu- 
rial ointments  for  its  topical  use 
are — 

First.  Its  chemical  combination, 
which  makes  it  easier  absorbed,  gives 
greater  penetrating  action,  and  thus 


94  THE   OLEATES. 

manifests  itself  in  more  prompt  reme- 
dial effect. 

Secondly.  It  possesses  the  advan- 
tage of  being  free  from  rancidity,  so 
objectionable  a  feature  in  the  oint- 
ments of  other  mercurial  combina- 
tions. 

Thirdly.  It  is  both  economical  and 
clean. 

In  concluding  the  description  of 
the  ointment  of  mercuric  oleate,  I 
wish  to  call  attention  to  the  fact, 
that  while  it  is  more  rapidly  ab- 
sorbed, yet  it  is  slow,  for  the  rea- 
sons already  mentioned,  under  its 
physiological  action,  to  give  rise  to 
systemic  effect.  Large  quantities  can 
be  applied  over  the  general  surface, 
either  in  children  or  adults,  with  great 
impunity,  its  toxic  or  constitutional 
effect  seldom  following  in  the  major- 
ity of  cases  in  which  it  is  used. 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  95 

MERCUROUS  OLEATE. 

The  ointment  of  mercurous  oleate 
is  very  much  stronger  in  mercury 
than  that  of  mercuric  oleate.  In  the 
ratio  of  41.6  to  26.2,  or  about  one 
and  a  half  times  as  strong,  it  has 
marked  stimulating  action  bordering 
on  congestion  on  the  integument,  and 
has  a  decided  resolvent  and  alterative 
effect.  It  is  therefore  applicable  to 
the  same  class  of  affections  in  which 
the  ointment  of  mercuric  oleate  is 
used,  particularly  if  it  is  desirable 
to  make  a  more  decided  impression. 

Having  had  repeated  failures  with 
the  ointment  of  mercuric  oleate  in 
the  inunction  treatment  of  syphilis,  I 
requested  Dr.  L.  Wolff  to  make  me  a 
stronger  preparation,  and  the  result 
was  the  development  of  the  ointment 
of  mercurous  oleate. 


96  THE   OLEATES. 

In  the  inunction  treatment  of 
syphilis  this  oleate  is  far  superior 
to  either  the  ordinary  blue  ointment 
or  the  mercuric  oleate.  It  is  a 
very  powerful  agent,  and  should 
be  applied  cautiously,  as  it  pos- 
sesses deep  penetrating  power,  and 
its  quick  diffusion  will  often  bring 
about  rapid  constitutional  effects.  Its 
advantages  over  the  ordinary  blue 
ointment  are  its  cheapness  and  the 
cleanly  manner  of  its  application.  A 
piece  about  the  size  of  a  bean  can 
be  gently  rubbed  in  the  axillae,  as  well 
as  the  same  quantity  on  each  limb 
or  on  each  side  of  the  trunk.  It  will 
be  quickly  absorbed,  may  leave  a 
reddened  surface,  but  will  neither 
stain  nor  discolor  the  linen,  nor  occa- 
sion the  annoyance  that  follows  the 
old  inunction  treatment  of  syphilis. 
An  eczematous  condition  that  is 


THEKAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  97 

often  feared,  and  that  has  been 
referred  to  as  an  objection  in  the 
inunction  treatment  of  syphilis  by  Dr. 
John  Ashhurst,  in  his  paper  on  the 
"  Treatment  of  Syphilis/'  presented 
to  the  Philadelphia  County  Medical 
Society,  can  always  be  avoided  by 
having  the  patient  use  vapor  and  hot- 
air  baths  every  second  or  third  day; 
and  I  regard  the  constant  use  of  these 
baths  now  as  essential  to  success.  I 
say  further  that,  after  some  years' 
experience,  the  constant  application 
of  the  ointment  of  mercurous  oleate 
for  a  short  length  of  time,  or  any 
fatty  substance  to  the  skin,  will  attract 
dust  and  dirt  to  the  parts,  the  glands 
and  follicles  will  become  distended, 
both  with  the  substance  applied  and 
the  foreign  material,  and  the  parts 
must  be  opened  up  very  often  by 
baths,  otherwise  any  form  of  mercury 


98  THE   OLEATES. 

combination  suspended  in  a  fatty  ve- 
hicle would  naturally  fail  to  pass  in, 
and  would  consequently  set  up  an 
inflammation  on  the  surface. 

The  ointment  of  mercurous  oleate 
is  a  most  effective  application  in  old 
spots  of  psoriasis,  and  in  chronic  pal- 
mar and  plantar  eczema  in  which  the 
integument  becomes  thickened,  harsh, 
dry,  and  cracked.  In  these  lesions 
the  oleate  can  be  used  alone,  or 
it  can  be  advantageously  combined 
with  some  form  of  tar  or  naphthol. 

MORPHINE   OLEATE. 

Morphine  oleate  has,  like  all  the 
alkaloidal  oleates,  a  feeble  action,  and 
only  upon  the  part  to  which  it  is 
applied.  It  can  be  employed  in  all 
irritable  conditions  of  the  integument, 
but  many  other  stronger  sedatives  are 
preferable. 


THERAPEUTIC  EFFECT.       99 
NICKEL  OLEATE. 

Nickel  oleate  mixed  with  a  fatty 
base,  in  the  proportion  of  from  one 
to  sixty  grains  to  the  ounce,  has  a 
very  decided  astringent  action,  almost 
bordering  upon  the  effect  of  a  caustic 
on  abraded  surfaces.  The  ointment 
of  nickel  oleate  of  a  weak  strength, 
from  five  to  twenty  grains  to  the 
ounce  of  lard,  acts  at  times  very 
well  in  epithelial  ulcerations.  It  is 
often  effective  in  exuberant  granula- 
tions and  in  old  callous  ulcers.  In 
some  chronic  cases  of  eczema,  es- 
pecially of  the  extremities,  in  which 
the  skin  is  deeply  infiltrated,  hard, 
and  of  a  leathery  state,  if  it  be  applied 
in  the  proportions  named,  it  will  gen- 
erally be  attended  with  good  results. 

QUININE    OLEATE. 

Quinine  oleate,  both  from  physio- 


100  THE   OLEATES. 

logical  experiments,  which  have 
heretofore  been  given,  and  from 
repeated  clinical  experience,  has 
proved  with  me  of  little  if  of  any 
service.  Several  cases  have  been  re- 
ported in  the  medical  journals  in 
which  its  use  has  been  extolled  as  an 
invaluable  remedy  in  cases  of  inter- 
mittent fever,  in  debility,  and  in  fact 
wherever  quinine  is  indicated  and  is 
not  well  borne  by  the  alimentary 
canal.  In  my  service  in  the  Phila- 
delphia Hospital  for  Skin  Diseases, 
and  in  private  practice,  I  have  used 
large  quantities  of  quinine  oleate 
from  all  the  prominent  manufac- 
turers, and  have  as  yet  to  observe  a 
single  case  that  has  had  any  de- 
cided constitutional  effect  from  its 
topical  application.  I  have  repeat- 
edly employed  it  freely  in  inter- 
mittent fever,  both  in  children  and 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  101 

adults,  but  without  effect,  the  par- 
oxysms returning  unless  arrested  by 
some  other  means. 

SILVER  OLEATE. 

Silver  oleate,  applied  in  its  natural 
form  to  the  abraded  skin  or  sores, 
combines  with  the  albumen  and  fibrin 
of  the  parts,  forming  a  coat  and 
thus  excluding  the  air.  It  likewise 
causes  a  powerful  contraction  of  the 
bloodvessels,  and  condenses  and  su- 
perficially destroys  the  tissue.  Silver 
oleate  sprinkled  over  ulcers,  bed  sores, 
and  exuberant  granulations  will  set 
up  a  healthier  action  of  the  surface. 
When  previously  dissolved  with  an 
equal  amount  of  oleic  acid  and  then 
mixed  with  lard  in  the  proportion  of 
from  five  to  sixty  grains  to  the  ounce, 
it  forms  a  dark-brown,  soft,  and  pli- 
able ointment.  The  ointment  of  this 


102  THE   OLEATES. 

oleate  is  a  safe  and  efficacious  remedy 
applied  over  the  inflamed  surface  of 
erysipelas,  or  around  the  margins  to 
prevent  the  inflammation  from  spread- 
ing. In  superficial  lupus,  if  kept  con- 
stantly applied  to  the  parts,  it  lessens 
the  cell  infiltration,  and  thus  reduces 
the  active  inflammation.  In  boils 
and  carbuncles  it  is  serviceable,  and 
often  arrests  pustulation  in  its  early 
stage.  Eczema,  that  occurs  around 
the  mucous  outlets,  especially  the 
anus  and  geriitalia,  attended  with  an 
intolerable  itching,  will  frequently 
be  quickly  relieved  by  applying  the 
ointment  of  silver  oleate  either  alone 
or  combined  with  opium,  belladonna, 
or  hyoscyamus.  Its  deep  penetration, 
stability,  and  prompt  action,  together 
with  its  comparative  painless  and  mild 
effect  are  the  advantages  it  possesses 
over  the  ordinary  silver  ointments. 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  103 

STRYCHNINE   OLEATE. 

Strychnine  oleate  can  be  applied  to 
the  integument  in  large  quantities 
and  for  some  time,  without  producing 
any  systemic  action  of  the  drug.  Its 
local  impression  is  weak,  and  it  is  a 
remedy  of  but  little  use  or  value. 

TIN   OLEATE. 

Tin  oleate,  mixed  with  lard  or  a 
fatty  base,  in  the  proportion  of  from 
ten  to  sixty  grains  of  the  former 
to  one  ounce  of  the  latter,  forms 
a  grayish-brown  ointment,  possess- 
ing an  astringent  and  nutritive  ac- 
tion. It  is  .of  value  and  service  in 
papular  and  fissured  eczema.  The 
ointment  of  tin  oleate  is  of  the 
greatest  utility  in  diseases  of  the 
nails,  or  that  are  abnormal  or  de- 
ficient in  growth.  It  assists  in  such 


104  THE   OLEATES. 

cases  in  overcoming  the  brittle,  split, 
and  soft  conditions  that  result 
from  injury  to  the  parts,  or  that 
follow  certain  affections  of  the  skin. 
The  ointment  of  tin  oleate,  especially 
when  combined  with  a  little  carmine, 
forms  an  elegant  article  of  toilet 
for  the  nails  and  surrounding  parts, 
giving  them  a  beautiful  lustre.  Ag- 
nail, or  the  ragged  and  attenuated 
skin  of  the  base  of  the  nail,  that 
is  so  frequently  observed  from  neg- 
lecting these  appendages,  can  be  re- 
lieved or  checked  by  the  astringent 
action  of  this  ointment. 

VERATRINE   OLEATE. 

Veratrine  oleate  has  a  valuable  ac- 
tion as  a  counter-irritant  when  used 
upon  the  integument. 


THERAPEUTIC  EFFECT.      105 
ZINC  OLEATE. 

Zinc  oleate  occurs  as  a  fine,  pearl- 
colored  powder,  with  a  soft,  soapy 
feel,  very  much  like  powdered  French 
chalk.  It  has  both  an  astringent 
and  stimulating  action.  In  hyperi- 
drosis  and  osmidrosis,  or  excessive 
sweating,  fetid  or  otherwise,  it  is 
one  of  the  very  best  remedies  for 
topical  use.  It  is  especially  appli- 
cable to  those  who  suffer  from  an 
increased  flow  of  sweat  around  the 
axillae,  genitalia,  and  palmar  and  plan- 
tar surfaces.  It  is  to  the  latter  un- 
fortunate and  distressing  class  of 
cases,  in  which  the  epidermis  often 
macerates,  leaving  a  tender  and  ex- 
posed skin,  attended  with  a  disagree- 
able odor,  that  it  can  be  used  for  re- 
lief and  at  times  with  permanent  good 
results.  Dr.  "William  Murrell,  in  the 


106  THE   OLEATES. 

London  Medical  Record,  of  November 
15,  1883,  also  calls  attention  to  the 
value  of  the  zinc  oleate  in  local  sweat- 
ing. He  reports  that  the  zinc  oleate 
mixed  with  thymol  (1  in  500)  and 
used  as  a  dusting  powder,  forms  an 
excellent  application  in  many  varie- 
ties of  local  sweating.  He  also  states 
that  he  has  used  it  with  much  success 
in  the  night-sweating  of  phthisis. 

In  acute  vesicular  eczema,  in  which 
the  parts  become  covered  with  small 
vesicles,  swollen,  hot,  inflamed,  or 
raw,  weeping,  and  attended  with  in- 
tense itching,  the  combined  protect- 
ing, astringent,  and  stimulating  action 
of  the  zinc  oleate  will  usually  cause 
all  the  inflammatory  symptoms  to 
abate,  the  discharge  to  dry  up,  and 
the  swollen  skin  to  resume  its  normal 
condition.  Dr.  McCall  Anderson  has 
referred  to  its  utility  in  eczema,  es- 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  107 

pecially  of  the  nares,  in  an  article  pub- 
lished in  the  Journal  of  Cutaneous 
and  Venereal  Diseases.  The  great  ad- 
vantage and  value  of  the  zinc  oleate 
among  the  same  class  of  cutaneous  af- 
fections, has  been  referred  to  by  Dr. 
James  Sawyer  in  a  communication 
to  the  British  Medical  Journal,  of 
February  10,  1883,  and  also  in  an- 
other to  the  Birmingham  Medical  Re- 
view, published  a  year  later. 

Dr.  Sawyer,  in  speaking  of  this 
and  other  oleates  used  in  the  same 
form,  adds  that  "they  can  be  em- 
ployed in  those  troublesome,  acute, 
and  discharging  affections  of  the  skin 
in  which  greasy  preparations  of  any 
kind  cannot  be  borne."  Zinc  oleate 
will  cling  to  the  skin,  and  will  not 
fall  or  brush  off  like  ordinary  dusting 
powder,  and  is,  therefore,  of  very  great 
value  in  seborrhoea  oleosa.  It  forms 


108  THE   OLEATES. 

a  most  excellent  and  useful  toilet 
powder  for  ladies  who  are  troubled 
with  shining  faces  or  seborrhoea 
oleosa,  dusted  over  the  parts  either 
alone  or  mixed  with  an  equal  quantity 
of  arrow-root,  bismuth,  subnitrate, 
or  lead  carbonate,  and  scented  with 
the  oil  of  verbena  or  rose.  It  like- 
wise acts  in  a  most  efficacious  man- 
ner dusted  on  an  inflamed  sur- 
face that  is  hot  and  tumid;  in  cases 
of  erythema  about  the  groins  and 
axillae,  and  is  also  beneficial  in  herpes 
and  herpes  zoster.  One  part  of  the 
powdered  zinc  oleate  melted  with  four 
parts  of  a  fatty  vehicle  yields  the 
ointment  which  can  be  used  in  the 
same  class  of  affections  just  enumer- 
ated, and  in  acne,  rosacea,  and  in  sub- 
acute  and  chronic  forms  of  eczema.* 

*  See  report  on  "  Oleate  of  Zinc  in  Eczema,"  by  Dr. 
A.  A.  Wells,  Boston,  Mass.,  in  the  New  England  Medical 
Monthly,  January,  1885. 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  109 

I  have  now  described  in  detail  the 
special  effect  of  each  individual  oleate, 
and  the  deductions  that  have  been 
drawn  from  a  personal  and  most 
careful  observation  during  the  past 
eight  years  in  laboratories  with  the 
chemist  and  physiologist,  and  from 
my  private  practice  and  extensive 
clinical  service.  A  large  number  of 
practitioners,  who  have  used  the  ole- 
ates  in  the  manner  in  which  they 
should  be  employed,  have  reported 
highly  favorable  and  practical  re- 
sults from  them.  Others  have  been 
unfortunate  enough  to  apply  im- 
pure or  improperly  prepared  oleates, 
and  the  results  in  such  cases  have 
generally  been  either  negative,  or 
irritating  and  injurious  to  the  parts. 
A  very  few  unfortunate,  careless,  and 
injudicious  observers,  skeptics  in  the- 
rapeutics, who  only  believe  in  the 
10 


110  THE   OLEATES. 

older  and  oft-tried  remedies,  have 
taken  up  the  oleates  for  fashion  or 
popularity's  sake,  and,  after  a  very 
limited  experience  in  their  applica- 
tion, condemn  them  without  a  fair 
trial.  The  communications  that  have 
appeared  from  the  latter  class  speak 
of  their  action  disparagingly,  and 
their  effects  as  problematical,  but  are 
devoid  of  research,  which  appears 
when  they  speak  of  quinine  oleate 
being  limited  to  inunctions  for  its 
systemic  impression,  showing  an  ab- 
sence of  practical  experience  or  proper 
deductions  from  their  results. 

In  concluding  my  remarks  I  would 
sum  up  by  stating  that  although  the 
oleates  have  not  been  found  to  fill  the 
place  they  were  originally  intended  for 
by  those  who  introduced  them,  they 
have  made  for  themselves  a  most 


THERAPEUTIC   EFFECT.  Ill 

prominent  place  amongst  the  more  sci- 
entific means  we  possess  for  treating 
affections  of  the  cutaneous  covering. 
They  have  opened  up  a  new  branch 
for  therapeutics,  and  occupy  a  position 
that  has  not  been  held  either  by 
ointment  or  lotion,  and  which  they 
will  occupy  not  in  a  transitory  man- 
ner, but  permanently,  and  in  an 
increased  ratio  as  their  nature,  use, 
and  effect  will  become  more  thor- 
oughly understood  and  known. 

In  the  following  papers  will  also  be 
found  much  of  instructive  interest  in 
regard  to  the  oleates : — 

"Working  Formula  for  the  Oleates,"  by 
Henry  B.  Parson,  in  the  Druggists'  Circular 
and  Chemical  Gazette,  January,  1885; 
"  Oleates,"  by  F.  C.  J.  Bird,  read  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Manchester  Pharmacy  Stu- 
dents' Association,  December  18,  1884,  in 
the  London  Pharmaceutical  Journal  and 


112  THE   OLEATES. 

Transactions,  January  3,  1885 ;  "  Neutral 
Oleate  of  Mercury,"  by  Charles  R.  C.  Tich- 
borne,  LL.D.,  etc.,  in  the  London  Medical 
Press,  September  24,  1884. 


INDEX, 


PAGE 

Abraded  skin 101 

Abscesses 66 

Acid,  oleic      . 8 

Acids,  fatty 6 

Acne 69,  91,  108 

rosacea    .    .    .    . 88 

Aconitine  oleate,  experiments  with      .,50 

therapeutic  use  of 64  • 

Adulterated  oleic  acid     .    . 83 

Advantage  of  oleates  over  ordinary  ointments   51,  62 
Advantages  of  mercuric  oleate  ointment    ....    93 

Agnail 104 

Alkaloids,  oleates  of '.    .    .     10,  18 

Alopcecia 88 

Alterative 66,  68 

Aluminium  oleate 19 

uses  of 64 

Ansesthetic  effect  of  aconitine  oleate 64 

Anderson,  McCall,  eczema      106 

Animal  parasites      93 

Antiparasitic      74 

Antiseptic 74 

10*  (113) 


114  INDEX. 

PAGE 

Antiseptic,  aluminium  oleate  as  an 65 

Arsenical  poisoning  lesions 88 

Arsenicum  oleate      21 

uses  of 66 

Astringent 73,  87,  99,  101,  104,  105,  106 

Atropine  oleate,  use  of 64 

Attfield,  Professor,  on  oleic  acid .  8 

Bed-sores 101 

Bismuth  oleate      25 

uses  of 68 

Bleeding,  to  arrest 74 

Boils 102 

Borcheim,  E.,  on  freckles .    80 

Bromidrosis 66 

Bunions 79 

Burns 66 

Cadmium  oleate 28 

uses  of 70 

Callous  ulcers 99 

Carbuncles      102 

Chemistry  of  fats,  etc. 6 

Chevreul,  chemistry  of  fats 6 

Chilblains .....:: 66 

Chromophytosis 77 

Cocaine  oleate  .                                                        .  71 


INDEX.  115 


Condylomata -    .    .    .    .    68 

Copper  oleate 29 

experiments  with      48 

uses  of 73 

Corns 68,  79 

Counter-irritant 164 

Cracked  nipples 70 

Cutaneous  irritation 68 

Debility      100 

Dermatitis 65 

Diluent  for  oleates 62 

Economy  of  oleates 62 

Eczema 65,  68,  71,  72,  98,  99,  106 

acute 70 

fissured 91,  103 

inflammatory 87 

of  mucous  outlets 102 

old  cases  of 92 

papular 90,  103 

pustular      88 

Enlarged  glands 70,  92 

Epidermis,  thickened 79 

Epithelial  ulcerations 99 

Eruptions,  pustular 69 

Erysipelas ...  69,  102 


116  INDEX. 

PAGE 

Erythema 108 

Escharotic 66 

Exuberant  granulations 99,  101 

Face,  shining 108 

Fats,  chemistry  of 6 

Fatty  acids 6 

bodies  used  in  medicine 5 

Favus .  78 

Fetid  discharges 66 

sweat 105 

Fissured  eczema 91,  103 

Follicles,  hair,  iniiammation  of 92 

Foul  ulcers 66 

Freckles 79 

Fungi 78,  93 

Furuncles 88 

Furunculosis  from  copper  oleate 80 

Glands,  enlarged 70,  92 

Granulations 68,  71,  74,  99,  101 

Hager,  H.,  on  vaseline,  etc.,  as  bases  ......    60 

Hair  follicles,  inflammation  of 92 

Herpes 108 

zoster ' 108 

History  of  oleates .    .    .      5 

Horns  .  .    68 


INDEX.  117 


PAGE 


Horny  warts 79 

Hyperidrosis 65,  105 

Indolent  papules 92 

Indurations 29 

Intermittent  fever 100 

Inunction  in  syphilis 96 

Iron  oleate 30 

uses  of 86 

Irritant 104 

Itching 102,  106 

Kiernan,  J.  G.,  on  petroleum  bases 60 

Lard  as  a  diluent  for  the  oleates 62 

Lead  oleate 31,  89 

Local  sweating 106 

Lousiness 93 

Lupus 67,  102 

Manufacture,  process  of 15 

Marshall,  John,  on  oleates 8 

Mercuric  oleate 9,  33 

experiments  with     48 

uses  of 91 

Mercurous  oleate 38 

uses  of 95 

Morphine  oleate 98 

Murrell,  William,  local  sweating 106 


118  INDEX. 

PAGE 

Naevi  .  . 68 

Nails,  diseases  of 103 

Nares,  eczema  of 106 

Neuralgia 72 

aconitine  in 64 

Nickel  oleate 40 

uses  of .  99 

Night  sweats 106 

Nipples,  cracked  and  sore 70 

Objections  to  use  of  copper  oleate 80 

Obstinate  granulations 74 

ulcers 92 

Ointments,  how  made  with  oleates 58 

Old  granulations 68 

ulcers 71 

Oleates  of  the  alkaloids 18 

Oleic  acid 8 

impure 83 

Origin  of  oleates 5 

Osmidrosis 105 

Painful  ulcers 72 

Papular  eczema 90,  98,  103 

Papules,  hard 91 

indolent 92 

Parasites  .    93 


INDEX.  119 

PAGE 

Parasitic  affections 74,  78 

Patches  of  skin 79 

Petroleum  bases  objectionable 59 

Phtheiriasis    , 93 

Phthisis,  night  sweats  of , 106 

Physiological  action  of  the  oleates 46 

Pigment,  disorders  of 92 

Plantar  eczema 98 

Process  of  manufacture  .    .    . 15 

Pruritus 72 

Psoriasis 98 

Pustular  eczema , 88 

eruptions .  60 

Pustulation 102 

Quinine  oleate 99 

experiments  with      47 

Ringworm 74,  75 

Robson,  on  vaseline 59 

Rosacea 69,  91,  108 

Sawyer,  on  copper  oleate 74 

James,  zinc  oleate 107 

Scrofuloderma 92 

Scrofulous  ulcers 67,  88 

SeborrhoBa 68,  88 

oleosa  .  107 


120  INDEX. 


PAGE 


Secretions,  profuse 65 

Sedative  90 

Shining  face 108 

Silver  oleate 41 

uses  of 101 

Sinuses 66 

Skin  patches 79 

thickening  of 92 

Sodium  oleate 15 

solution 17 

Solution,  sodium  oleate 17 

Sore  nipples 70 

Sores 101 

Squibb,  on  cocaine 72 

Startin,  on  copper  oleate 74 

Strychnine  oleate 103 

experiments  with  49 

Styptic 65,  87 

Sunburn 69 

Sweating,  fetid 105 

Sycosis 68,  69,  88 

Syphilis 95 

Therapeutic  effect  of  oleates 56 

Thickened  epidermis 79 

Thickening  of  skin 92 

Tin  oleate  .  .  42 


INDEX.  121 

PAGE 

Tin,  uses  of ...  103 

Tinea  versicolor 77 

Toilet  of  the  nails 104 

Toilet  powder 108 

Tubercles 92 

Tumors 92 

Ulcerating  epithelioma 67 

Ulcerations,  epithelial 99 

Ulcers 101 

callous 99 

obstinate 92 

old 71 

painful 72 

scrofulous 67,  88 

Unna,  on  lead  oleate 90 

Vegetable  parasitic  affections 78,  93 

Veratrine  oleate 104 

Vesicular  eczema 106 

Warts 68 

Wolff,  L.,  experiments  of 8 

Wolff's  method  for  arsenicum  oleate 23 

Zinc  oleate 43 

experiments  with 49 

uses  of 105 

11 


OLEATES. 


fPHE  peculiar  power  possessed  by  oleic  acid  of  pene- 
^  trating  the  skin  and  subjacent  tissue  and  of  thus 
bringing  medicinal  principles  with  which  it  may  be 
combined  into  direct  contact  with  diseased  parts,  and 
facilitating  thereby  the  absorption  of  medicines  applied 
epidermically,  has  been  familiar  to  the  profession  for 
a  number  of  years.  It  was  hoped,  when  this  property 
was  announced,  that  a  desideratum  in  the  treatment  of 
local  affections,  as  localized  chronic  inflammations,  etc., 
and  in  securing  the  constitutional  effect  of  drugs  in 
cases  in  which  an  irritability  of  the  prinue  vise  forbade 
their  exhibition  per  os,  had  been  supplied.  This  hope 
was  disappointed,  however,  through  the  failure  on  the 
part  of  the  pharmacist  to  furnish  the  physician  with 
eligible  preparations  of  the  salts  of  oleic  acid  with 
metals  or  alkaloidal  bases.  This  promising  means  of 
medication  thus  fell  into  comparative,  disuse,  and  epi- 
dermic medication  was  seldom  resorted  to. 

i 


Latterly,  however,  and  principally  through  the 
experiments  of  Dr.  J.  V.  Shoemaker,  of  Philadelphia, 
pharmacy  has  supplied  this  defect.  As  a  result  of  his 
experiments,  Dr.  Shoemaker  has  also  been  enabled  to 
give  the  medical  profession  many  valuable  suggestions 
touching  the  therapeutic  application  of  these  salts. 

9 

We  secured  from  Dr.  Shoemaker  full  instructions* 
in  his  method,  and  immediately  placed  before  the 
profession  a  line  of  these  preparations.  The  favor 
with  which  they  have  been  received,  and  the  rapidly 
growing  demand  for  them,  are  their  most  emphatic 
endorsements.  The  oleates  of  the  following  metals 
and  alkaloids  are  on  our  list: 

Aluminium. — A  valuable  astringent,  serviceable  in 
eczema,  and  for  dressing  burns. 

Arsenic. — Used  in  the  form  of  an  ointment,  contain- 
ing twenty  grains  of  oleate  of  arsenic  to  the  ounce. 
Valuable  as  a  caustic  in  lupus,  epithelioma,  etc. 

Bisrnuth. — An  excellent  emollient  application. 

Copper. — For  the  treatment  of  ringworm,  and  the 
removal  of  freckles,  etc. 

Iron. — A  local  astringent  and  general  tonic. 

Lead. — A  cleanly  and  efficient  substitute  for  Hebra's 
Diachylon  ointment. 
ii 


Mercury. — A  discutient  to  inflammatory  exudates, 
and  to  secure  the  constitutional  effect  of  the  metal. 

Nickel. — An  amorphous,  waxy  solid ;  good  results  are 
reported  from  its  application  in  some  cases  of 
chronic  eczema  of  the  extremities,  where  the  skin 
is  hard  and  leathery. 

Silver. — An  excellent  application  in  Pruritus  and  in 
'  erysipelas. 

Tin. — A  remedy  of  considerable  value  for  restoring 
the  lustre  of  diseased  nails. 

Zinc. — An  impalpable  pow.der  and  of  great  value  in 
intertrigo  (chafing). 


Aconitine  (2  per  cent,  of  the  alkaloid). 
Atropine  (2  per  cent,  of  the  alkaloid). 
Morphine  (10  per  cent,  of  the  alkaloid). 
Morphine  and  Mercury  (5  per  cent,  morph.  and 

20  per  cent,  mercuric  oxide). 
Quinine  (25  per  cent,  of  the  alkaloid). 
Strychnine  (2  per  cent,  of  the  alkaloid). 
Veratrine  (10  per  cent,  of  the  alkaloid). 

The  advantages  of  these  oleates  of  alkaloids  in 
securing  the  constitutional  effect  of  the  drugs  through 
their  epidermic  employment,  have  been  amply  de- 
monstrated in  the  treatment  of  children, .  and  in  dis- 
eases attended  with  nausea  and  gastric  irritability. 

iii 


OINTMENTS  OF  OLEATES. 


The  following  ointments  are  offered  as  representing 
the  most  desirable  strengths  of  these  preparations. 

The  percentages  annexed  indicate  the  proportion 
of  oleate  in  the  ointment. 

Aluminium, 50  Per  Cent. 

Arsenic, 5       " 

Copper, 20 

Iron, .    .  25 

Lead, 50 

Mercury, 10       " 

Silver, 5       " 

Zinc, 25       " 

Circulars  fully  descriptive  of  the  above,  and  such 
other  information  touching  the  therapy  of  the  oleates 
as  has  appeared,  will  be  furnished  gratis  on  application. 


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